Industry of Intrigue
by Sapphire5
Summary: Finished. The meaning of family becomes clear when two families collide with the Quests. Their family histories will directly impact the families' future.
1. The Stranger

Disclaimer:

All characters affiliated with JQ: TRA are owned by Hanna Barbara. No infringement of copyrights are intended. This is a work of fiction written by a fan for other fans' enjoyment. No money was made off of this fic.

Warnings:

Overall Rating of PG. Contains mild language, and some mature themes, and mild violence. (Honestly, there isn't anything worse than what you might find in a Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys mystery.)

A Note From the Author:

Originally, this story was featured on Suze Howe's JQ:TRA Archive. If you think you've read it before, you just might have! I was using the pen name SapphireWings at the time of the original posting. Since then, I've made some minor changes, and some major ones. I've also finished several more Jonny Quest adventures, which I've finally gotten around to editing. I will begin posting those with the conclusion of this little fic. If you're familiar with my Fushigi Yugi fanfic, this is nothing like that, and not nearly as long! This is a collection I began in my early college experience, three years prior to even beginning work on "Oracles of the Four Gods" and you will be able to tell by the obvious lower quality of my writing. I have gone back and fixed it up, but I didn't want to spend ages and ages reworking this series, so I fixed only the big blunders and left the rest as is. If you know JQ:TRA, you might find it fun. Okay, enough of this author's note. ~Sapphire

The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest

Industry of Intrigue

By: Sapphire (SapphireWings)

Chapter One: The Stranger

April, 1999

Location: Quest Compound, Maine

The rain beat against the window panes as lightning flashed brightly, followed by booming thunder. Race Bannon looked up from his newspaper at a knock on the door. His employer, Dr. Benton Quest, looked up from his work on his laptop computer.

"Now who could that be in this storm?" Dr. Quest wondered.

"Let's find out," Race suggested. The two men rose from their seats at the sound of a second knock. In the front hall, they opened the door, surprised to see the Rockport Sheriff on the other side. Standing beside him was a dripping wet young woman with a backpack slung over one shoulder and a small duffel bag in her hand.

"Can I help you, Sheriff Olson?" Race asked. 

"Yes," replied the sheriff, "Is Dr. Quest at home?"

"I'm right here," Dr. Quest said, stepping around Race. "What can I do for you?"

"This young lady was sent to us from the Kansas City police department in Missouri," Sheriff Olson told them. "Her mother disappeared about a month ago, and you were named the girl's guardian in the mother's living will. The girl is no longer a minor, but they sent her to you because of the strange circumstances of the disappearance."

"Who the heck would name Benton guardian to their daughter?" Race asked incredulously. Sheriff Olson just shook his head and chuckled.

"She wanted to explain it to Dr. Quest herself, but I assure you both, it's on the up and up," Sheriff Olson said. Dr. Quest turned to the young woman beside the Sheriff. She was tall, her head just an inch taller than the sheriff's shoulder, and he was a big man. Her light brown, shoulder-length hair was plastered to her head from the rain. Her dripping hair outlined a slightly heart-shaped face where two slate blue eyes rimmed in thick lashes looked back at him with trepidation.

"Go ahead," he said.

"I'm your niece," she stated. Dr. Quest was astonished at her blunt announcement. 

"That's impossible," Race countered, "The Doc doesn't have a niece. He doesn't have siblings. Should we send her back to Kansas City, Doc?"

"Oh, you can't do that!" the young woman exclaimed in a sudden burst of emotion. "He couldn't possibly know about me! I didn't know I had an uncle until two weeks ago myself, and the police just found him! I wouldn't have come, but I desperately need his help!" The girl nearly broke down into tears on the doorstep in the pouring rain.

"No, don't send her away, Race. Sheriff Olson said it was legitimate. I want to hear what she has to say," Dr. Quest said. Race glanced uncertainly at Dr. Quest, but the older man was quite serious.

"All right, Benton. We'll get her some hot chocolate, while we're at it." Race was quite sarcastic, but he knew his old friend too well. Once Benton Quest made up his mind about something, he would stubbornly stick to his decision. That's what had made the man so successful. Race sighed. "I'll go get Jonny. He'll probably want to hear this."

"Bring Hadji and Jessie along, too. No sense in leaving them out," added Dr. Quest. As Race disappeared through the kitchen doorway, Dr. Quest turned to the young woman and admitted her to the house. "Would you like to join us, Sheriff?"

"No, Dr. Quest, thanks, though. I have to be getting back to the station. I was instructed to give you this, however," he said handing Dr. Quest a large envelope containing some papers. "There are plenty of legal documents in there confirming who she is. I had it faxed from Kansas City to verify her story. It seemed suspicious at first, so I did some checking."

"And?" Dr. Quest asked.

"She is who she says she is, and she _is_ your niece," Sheriff Olson said. Benton nodded. "And one more thing I forgot to mention," the sheriff added. "Seems there's a trust fund that was set up for the young lady. She doesn't come into the money until she's twenty-five, and the real reason the Kansas City Police wanted her to come out here was because you're the one with control over the account. I got a look at the amount. It's a lot of money we're talking about." Dr. Quest raised an eyebrow at that. It was hard to believe a perfect stranger would entrust him with a large sum of money.

"Thank-you, Sheriff Olson," Dr. Quest said.

"See you around, Dr. Quest. If you need anything, or need to talk to Kansas City, call. I can put you in touch with the detective in charge down there." Benton nodded, and the sheriff left. Benton turned to the young woman standing beside him. He looked her up and down again, trying to discern any more information about her. He watched as rain dripped off her nose, then caught her gaze with his. She was scared, uncertain, but she was determined about something.

"Come with me," Dr. Quest said finally. "I'll get you that warm cocoa and you can start by telling me your name."

*JQJQJQJQ*

Ten minutes later the family had congregated in the large kitchen of the Quest mansion. Jonny, Jessie, and Hadji were seated around the kitchen table with Dr. Quest and the stranger. Bandit, Jonny's black and white bull-terrier, sat at his master's feet looking up at the strange girl with an intent gaze. Race was leaning on the kitchen counter watching for anything suspicious. He, like Bandit, wasn't sure whether or not the young woman could be trusted despite the assurances of the Rockport Sheriff's Department.

"Go ahead, tell us your story from the beginning," instructed Dr. Quest. "Try to be as detailed as possible, don't omit anything, no matter how unimportant it may seem." The girl, nervous and wide eyed, nodded before beginning to speak.

"First, my name is Maggie Hardy," she said a bit shakily. "I'm most recently from Weston University where I'm a Sophomore." Dr. Quest nodded encouragement as she paused uncertainly. "Before that I lived in Denver," she continued with gaining confidence. "Before that I lived in Los Angeles, after I lived in Washington D.C., and prior to that, Minneapolis. I've also lived in Detroit, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Toronto, Houston, and Vancouver. My mom moved the two of us all over. We never stayed anywhere long, except for Minneapolis. We lived there for five years."

"Wow, was she in the military or something?" Jonny asked amazed.

"No," Maggie shook her head. "She would get bored with her job and we would move to another city and she would try a new one."

"What does all of this have to do with me?" asked Dr. Quest.

"Nothing," replied Maggie with a faint smile, "I was just telling you where I'm from. You said not to leave anything out." Jessie giggled at Dr. Quest's surprised look.

"So I did," Dr. Quest admitted. "Please, go on."

"To start at the very beginning, I'll have to go back to my grandmother, Sarah Markham. That was her maiden name. She married my grandfather, Earnest Franklin, when she was only 17. They were very much in love, but their 18 year age difference got in the way. When my mother was a year old, they couldn't stand it any more and they divorced."

"That was not common for that generation," Hadji commented. Maggie nodded.

"Grandfather used to say they were both free thinkers, and that's what attracted the two of them to each other in the first place. He also used to say that was the other reason for their parting." Hadji nodded in understanding. "Grandmother didn't want to fight over my mother, so she let Grandfather have her and raise her. Grandfather said it was for the best. She wouldn't have had an easy time of it as a single mother back then." She stopped and reached for her steaming mug of hot cocoa. Holding it to her mouth, she took a few sips, closing both hands around the mug to warm them. She sighed, exhausted, as she set the mug back down.

"My mother, Laura, only saw my grandmother twice after the divorce. Mom never talked about Grandmother, probably because she was too young to remember her. Grandfather told me everything I know about her. He said she remarried, and then they lost contact when Grandfather took my mother and moved to California. He wouldn't admit it, but I think he was hurt when Grandmother married another man. Even after thirty-five years, he still loved her." Dr. Quest nodded knowingly, and Maggie paused to sip her hot cocoa again.

"Two weeks ago I was contacted by my mother's lwayer. From him I learned a great deal more than Grandfather or my mother ever told me. Of most interest to you, Sarah Markham's second marriage was to a Mr. Herbert Quest. They had one son together and that boy was you, Dr. Quest."

The room was silent, and all eyes were on Dr. Quest, waiting for his reaction. Dr. Quest ignored them and let it all sink in for a moment before responding. "Do you have documentation of this information?" he asked wearily.

"Yes, it's all in the envelope the sheriff gave to you," Maggie answered. "There are marriage licenses, birth certificates, a transcript of the divorce proceedings, everything you could want, including a copy of my mother's will."

Dr. Quest opened the envelope he'd placed on the table in front of him and flipped through the papers in astonishment. "It appears that Maggie really is my niece, and her mother is my half-sister," he announced.

"This is totally amazing!" exclaimed Jonny. "Welcome to the family, Maggie."

"Thank-you," Maggie replied shyly, "but I wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for my mother. She's why I came. I need your help."

"Where is your mother?" asked Jessie. "Why didn't she come with you?"

"She disappeared 33 days ago without a trace. There have been no leads, except for some suspicious coincidences that caused the FBI to take over the investigation."

"Coincidences?" Race asked, interest piqued. "To what?"

"My father also disappeared, 20 years ago, just after I was born. He was never found."

"Tell us about it," Dr. Quest asked, intrigued. Race nodded. It _did_ sound strange that both of her parents would vanish 20 years apart with no explanation.

"His name was Jack Hardy," Maggie began.

"That name sounds familiar..." Dr. Quest interrupted.

"I'm not surprised," Maggie said. "There was a lot of news coverage, and the story hit the national newspapers."

"Tell us what you know," Dr. Quest said with a nod.

"My mother called him just after going into labor. He said he would meet her at the hospital. She never heard from him again. A maternity ward nurse reported having held me up to the nursery window for a man claiming to be my father. Shortly after that, one of the hospital's obstetricians was found dead-"

"I remember, now," Dr. Quest announced. "The press had a field day. An autopsy revealed he'd been injected with a lethal dose of a common painkiller. Hospital security tapes recorded two men leaving, both acting suspiciously."

"One of the men was identified as Jack Hardy, and the other was unrecognizable. He had a fedora pulled low over his face," Race recalled. "I remember reading it in the paper. There was a still image from the video tape."

"There was speculation over weather Jack Hardy was leaving against his will. Jack Hardy had appeared quite agitated, and at one point there was a struggle between the two men. No one could decide if this was because Jack was being abducted, or if it was due to involvement in the murder."

"What you probably don't know, is that the obstetrician that was murdered was my mom's doctor," Maggie told them

"You do not believe your father was responsible for the obstetrician's death, do you?" Hadji said. Maggie shook her head.

"No I don't. What motive did he have? He saw for himself I was delivered safe and healthy. It doesn't make sense to me. I think there's more to it than that."

"Would he have just left you and your mom like that?" Jessie asked.

"No," answered Maggie. "The thought has crossed my mind, but Mom always said he loved us too much to just leave like that. And, there's another reason I don't believe it. Some years ago I happened to see a document of some kind on my mom's desk with his name on it. It looked like it came from the CIA. I was very curious and read some of it. It gave the impression he had worked for them once. I think my mother believed someone connected to the CIA either killed him or kidnapped him. I can't discount the possibility, as strange as it sounds."

"That could explain why your mom moved you around so much," Jonny theorized. "She could have been afraid the same thing would happen to the two of you. Whether it was true or not."

"I just don't know. That's why I need you. No matter the cause, I think whatever happened to my father happened to my mother. I'm afraid it'll happen to me next," Maggie finished. "Please help me, Dr. Quest. The police and the FBI have nothing. I have no where else to turn."

"I don't know what to say," replied Dr. Quest, "I need some time to think."

"I've got an idea," Race spoke up as a silence settled upon them. "Why don't we all get a good night's sleep and figure it out in the morning. It'll give us all time to think."

"I believe that's best," said Dr. Quest. "Jessie, will you please show Miss Hardy a room for the night?"

"Of Course, Dr. Quest," Jessie agreed. "Come with me, Maggie, I'll show you the way."

"Okay, just a minute," Maggie told the red head, then turned to Dr. Quest. "Thank you so much for listening, Dr. Quest. It's more than I expected."

"You're welcome, Miss Hardy," he answered.

*JQJQJQJQ*

The next morning dawned sunny and warm, a fine spring day, fresh and clean from the rain the night before. Maggie woke early. She quickly dressed in jeans and a pale yellow T-shirt then went downstairs to the kitchen for something to eat. Jonny, Jessie, and Hadji were already there, each in various stages of breakfast.

"Did you sleep well last night, Miss Hardy," asked Hadji as he poured some milk over his dry cereal.

"Not really," she answered, "I can't help but worry that Dr. Quest will be unable or unwilling to help me."

"You don't know my dad," said Jonny, dropping his spoon in his empty cereal bowl. "He wouldn't turn anyone away. Besides, you're family. He'd never turn you out."

"Do you really think he'd help me?" Maggie wondered.

"Yeah. Why wouldn't he?" Jonny quipped.

"You have to admit the whole thing is hard to believe. I find it hard to believe myself," Maggie commented. "I wouldn't have blamed your dad if he had thrown me out last night. In fact, I half expected him to."

"You're right about that, Miss Hardy," interrupted Dr. Quest, just coming into the kitchen. "However, I knew about my mother's previous marriage and her daughter. If I hadn't, I might have sent you away."

"Why didn't you ever tell me?" Jonny asked, a hurt tone in his voice.

"I never knew her, Jonny, and I never thought I'd hear mention of her again. It seems I was wrong."

"I'm so glad that you knew," Maggie said. Dr. Quest nodded.

"Now, I don't want to do anything until I can get my hands on more information about your parents' disappearances. I'd like to find my half-sister, if I can. For now, I would like it if you would stay here with us." Maggie nodded. "You kids show Maggie around the compound. Stay out of my study, that's where Race and I will be. And remember-"

"Stay out of trouble," Jonny, Jessie, and Hadji said as one. Maggie smiled.

"Now, finish your breakfast," Dr. Quest said, turning to leave.

"Thank-you," Maggie said. Dr. Quest nodded, and disappeared into the hall.

*JQJQJQJQ*

Later that morning, Jonny, Jessie, Hadji, and Maggie had finished going over the house and the grounds of the Quest Compound, and they were crossing the lawn, headed back to the kitchen. Bandit was warming up to Maggie, due mostly to Jonny's behavior toward her. Jonny was ecstatic that he had a cousin, and he wanted to get to know her as much as possible.

"How old are you?" he asked.

"I'm just twenty this fall," Maggie answered.

"What about the places you've lived in," Jonny went on, "which was your favorite?"

"Minnesota. It was so quiet there. We had a normal life, we stayed long enough to make friends and be ordinary people. It gets frustrating when you have to move two or three times a year. You never get to know anyone."

"We travel all over the world. I like seeing new places," Jonny said.

"Yes, to travel is fun, but you always had a home to return to. I had to make a new home everywhere I went," Maggie explained.

"Do you like to travel?" Jonny asked.

"I don't know, I've never gone anywhere just to see it. My life has been dull compared to yours."

"Well, what do you like to do for fun?" Jonny tried.

"I like to read." Maggie said. "I skate, too, but not as much as I used to."

"Hey," Jessie suddenly interrupted. "What do you know about computers, Maggie?"

"I can use one, but that's about it. Why?"

"I think I know what you are thinking," Hadji said.

"Yeah!" said Jonny, "Let's show Maggie what we like to do with our spare time." Jonny grabbed Maggie's arm and started dragging her in the opposite direction toward the lighthouse. Five minutes later Hadji sat at the keyboard of the main Questworld terminal in Questworld Center. His hands flew as he accessed the Virtual Reality program.

"Before you can enter Questworld, I must give you a body and register your voice so Iris will obey your voice commands," Hadji explained.

"Whatever you say," said a confused Maggie. "What is this- Questworld, anyway? And who is Iris?"

"You are about to find out," Jessie said putting a strange device on her head. "Sit here and prepare to be amazed."

"I'm going in with her," said Jonny. "Someone has to show her the ropes."

"Ready?" asked Hadji. Jessie nodded. "Subjects Jonny Quest and Maggie Hardy, going HOT." 

Maggie was suddenly plunged into a completely different world. She knew that she was still sitting in that chair in the lighthouse of the Quest Compound, but at the same time, she wasn't.

"Wow!" she exclaimed, "This is unreal!"

"Nah," said Jonny, "This is virtual reality."

"This is so cool. I've never done anything like this in my life." Maggie looked down at her hands and feet. She wore the usual suit of armor in Questworld, but she was amazed at the anatomically correct structure of her virtual body. "Who made this?"

"My dad," said Jonny. "He created the whole thing. But the game we're going to play was programmed by Jessie, Hadji, and I."

"Jonny, we should set the game at the easiest level for Maggie. She is a beginner, you know," suggested Jessie from the control room.

"That is wise," added Hadji, "To get her sea legs in a manner of speaking."

"Okay. Whatever, Hadji. Now, Maggie, whenever you want to access a weapon or vehicle in the game you give the command to Iris. Iris is like the computer's brain, and you can talk to her," explained Jonny.

"Are you ready?" asked Jessie. Maggie nodded and Jonny gave the thumbs up sign.

"Iris, access Maze Demons, level one," Jonny said.

"Accessed, game, Maze Demons. Level of difficulty, one," came the automated voice of Iris. "Time begins...now." Maggie was transported to an old English garden maze. She felt overwhelmed as she looked around. It was so real, and detailed, yet obviously computer generated.

"I think I know why you call it Maze Demons," Maggie remarked.

"Why?" asked Jonny.

"Here comes one now! Duck!" Both Jonny and Maggie dropped to the stone path as a streak of red rushed by them. "Let's get out of here!" The two cousins jumped up and ran down a path lined with wild, tall hedges.

"That was a Red Demon," said Jonny. "They're the easiest to defeat. This level only uses the Red Demon."

"How do you defeat them?" asked Maggie.

"With an ion gun. Iris, access ion guns." Maggie was suddenly holding onto what she guessed must be an ion gun. 

"Can we get hurt in Quest World?" Maggie suddenly asked.

"Not a chance," said Jonny.

"Then let's kick some demon butt," Maggie said enthusiastically.

"Slammin'!" Jonny responded. 

*JQJQJQJQ*


	2. Revealed Past

Disclaimer:

All characters affiliated with JQ: TRA are owned by Hanna Barbara. No infringement of copyrights are intended. This is a work of fiction written by a fan for other fans' enjoyment. No money was made off of this fic.

Warnings:

Overall Rating of PG. Contains mild language, and some mature themes, and mild violence. (Honestly, there isn't anything worse than what you might find in a Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys mystery.)

A Note From the Author:

I've posted two chapters to start us off. If you like, go ahead and let me know with a review. If you don't like, then just don't read. I will delete flames, as I don't really care about improving this series. It is what it is. Most of my creative energies are going toward my ficnovel "Oracles of the Four Gods" and a real novel which I have recently begun working on. Okay, nothing else to say. ~Sapphire

The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest

Industry of Intrigue

By: Sapphire (SapphireWings)

Chapter Two: Revealed Past

Location: Quest Compound, Maine

"What have you kids been up to?" Race asked as they came into the kitchen for lunch that afternoon.

"Maze Demons," Jessie replied. "You know, Maggie isn't half bad for a beginner. Even Jonny thinks that she's good."

"Well fur on a catfish, that is something," Race said laughing, "Jonny usually has something _else_ to say about other players' abilities."

"No, really, Race," said Jonny, "She's good."

"You said that I couldn't really get hurt," said Maggie, "so it's easy to be reckless and take chances."

"I would not be so sure of that," Hadji stated. "Strange things have happened in Questworld. Though, only when someone has tampered with the programming."

"You see," continued Jessie, "the reason you can't get hurt in Questworld is because it's programmed not to harm anyone. If it can be programmed _not_ to harm, it can be programmed _to_ harm."

"I understand," Maggie said, "I think."

"It's more than that, though," Jonny said. "Yeah, she's fearless, but she's got unbelievable reflexes. And she's fast, and she's flexible. Almost like an athlete." Maggie smiled at Jonny, amused.

"Good deduction," Maggie commented. "I am an athlete, or was. I told you earlier that I skate. Figure skate, anyway. And I like to think I was really good. I never went anywhere with it, though. Didn't have the kind of ambition it took." The conversation was cut off by the ringing of the telephone. Race picked it up.

"Quest residence, may I help you?" he paused a moment for the reply. "Just a moment. Maggie, it's for you."

"Me?" Maggie was quite surprised. "Hello?" she said into the receiver. She went pale and started shaking all over. "Mom!? Don't-" She stopped mid-sentence. Someone was speaking on the other end. A look of sheer disbelief crossed her face. Then, suddenly, the dial tone was heard. Whoever it had been, they'd hung up.

"Maggie, who was that?" Jonny asked in concern. "Was that your mother?" Maggie could only shake her head no. "Who was it then?"

Maggie took a deep breath. "Bring Dr. Quest in here right away. He has to hear this." Hadji ran from the room to get him. They were back faster than Maggie had expected.

"What is it?" asked Dr. Quest.

"That phone call, that guy has seen my mother!" Maggie said in a rush. "He told me that 'they' were after the papers. Then he said 'they' knew where I was and I should leave, escape!"

"Did you talk to your mother?" Dr. Quest asked with urgency.

"No, but the guy on the other end said 'Silver Bells.' My mother sent him to give me that message," Maggie exclaimed.

"Silver Bells?" asked Jonny in confusion.

"When we lived in Toronto there was a store at a mall called Silver Bells. Every time my mom and I passed it, we'd start to sing the song 'Silver Bells.' After we left Toronto, she said that if there was ever an emergency, we should somehow give the other a message and that we'd use 'Silver Bells' to know that it wasn't a trick. The guy on the other end of the phone was a messenger from my mom."

"What did he say?" asked Race. "Try to be exact."

"He said, 'Silver Bells, Maggie. Your mother wants you to know that they are after the papers. I'm helping her. They said they know where you are. You have to leave. You have to escape before they get you, too- for all out sakes.' Then he hung up."

"That confirms it," said Dr. Quest. "Your mother was abducted. Who ever took her is after you. Whoever 'they' are, they know that you are here at the Quest Compound. They probably know your mother is my sister, too. We're all at risk. We have to leave immediately. Go pack a small bag everyone. Then meet at the garage. Race, call ahead and make sure the Dragonfly is prepped when we arrive. We're going to the Florida Compound."

*JQJQJQJQ*

Location: aboard aircraft Dragonfly

"Did you bring everything with you?" Dr. Quest asked Maggie. "I have to be sure that you forgot nothing. It appears that whatever the kidnappers want, you have it."

"I brought everything," assured Maggie. "There's something I don't understand, though."

"What is that?" asked Dr. Quest.

"What do they want?" Maggie wondered. "I didn't bring anything but some clothing and a photograph of my parents and one of my mom and me. And there's nothing in that folder the police sent that they can't get on the Internet."

"I thought that you knew," Dr. Quest admitted. "I was going to ask you. I suppose we'll just have to find out for ourselves."

"I'll bet that whatever it is, it's hidden in your stuff," said Jonny.

"It is possible that Maggie does not have it at all," said Hadji. "It could be anywhere."

"That's true," replied Jessie, "but it doesn't hurt to look. If it is here, that's great. If not, that's one less place it could be."

"Go ahead and look, then," Maggie sighed as she pulled her bags from the in- flight storage space. The passengers of the Dragonfly were quiet as they cut apart her bags to check for things hidden in the linings and took out the picture backs, looking for any hidden slips of paper.

"Maybe something is printed over a picture we can't see," Jonny thought when he turned up nothing. "Maybe we could scan them into Quest World and have Iris run some schematics."

"Good idea, Son," said Dr. Quest. "Iris can do things that we cannot."

"We can use the laptop, but it would be faster if we waited until we reached the Florida Compound," Hadji suggested.

"I don't think we should," said Maggie. "That's another thing that bothers me. How did they know where I was? They must be keeping tabs on me. If they could trace me to Maine, they would be able to trace me to Florida."

"And if they know why you came to Maine, they could easily know all about Dad and me. They'd already know about the Florida compound, they would maybe even get there before us," Jonny theorized.

"You know, Jonny," said Jessie, "Sometimes you actually put that bleached head of yours to good use."

"I believe we should rethink our plans," Dr. Quest thought out loud. "Perhaps we should pay a visit to Washington D.C. instead. We could look into your father's CIA connection. There may be a lead there, though it's a long shot."

"Washington, huh?" Race asked. "We'll be at the Florida landing strip in forty-five minutes. It'll be at least that long to make arrangements and get clearance to make the trip to DC. We'll need to refuel, too. It'll be late before we land in DC."

"That's all right, Race," Dr. Quest said. "As long as we don't go to the Key West Compound."

"I agree- that doesn't sound like the best thing to do right now." Dr. Quest nodded, then settled back in his seat for the remainder of their flight to Florida

*JQJQJQJQ*

Location: Washington D.C.

The Dragonfly eventually landed in Washington without mishap. Dr. Quest had pre-arranged a hotel suite via the Internet before arrival. They left the airport and went straight to the hotel before deciding what to do next. 

"Would your father have worked for the CIA before he married your mother?" Hadji asked, trying to think, "or possibly he was working for them while they were married?" 

"He had left by the time I was born, I believe," Maggie said. "Mom told me he worked for a newspaper while they were married."

Hadji nodded to Maggie, then said to everyone, "There is one question that I must ask. How are we to get into the CIA files?"

"Good point Hadji," Jonny said, "How about it Pop? Do you know anyone who can get us unlimited access to the files?"

"Yes, I think so." 

*JQJQJQJQ*

The following morning, Dr. Quest and the others were sitting in the office of Agent Clara Parcell. The office was extraordinarily neat and organized. On first glance, someone might think the office was vacant. The only indication that it was used was the agent sitting behind the desk.

"What can I do for you, Benton?" Agent Parcell asked. 

"Well, I need some information from the CIA records and files," he began. "This young lady is the daughter of my half-sister. My sister recently disappeared without a trace, oddly, 20 years after the same fate befell her husband." Dr. Quest explained the whole story to Agent Parcell in as few words as possible. "So you see," he concluded, "since Jack Hardy is believed to have been with the CIA, we thought we might find a lead to his disappearance, or at least locate someone who knows what happened to him. That might help us in our search for my sister as well. Since you owe me a favor..."

"I see," said Agent Parcell. "I do owe you that favor. I can give you access to anything I have clearance to access, but I cannot do anything beyond that." 

"Understood," said Dr. Quest. "Thank-you for your help, Clara." Agent Parcell acknowledged his thanks.

"I have a meeting right now. You may work in here while I'm gone. No one will disturb you, I'll make sure of it. Good Luck." Once Agent Parcell had gone, Hadji and Jessie hooked the laptop to the Agent's computer terminal. Dr. Quest sat down at Agent Parcell's console while Hadji sat down with the laptop. Everyone else sat down to wait impatiently.

"Start with a past personnel file search on Jack Hardy. That will give us a good start on his history," Race said. Dr. Quest brought up a search method and typed in 'Jack Hardy.' 

FILE NOT FOUND

"Try 'Hardy, Jack.' Most files go last name first," said Maggie.

FILE NOT FOUND

"How about a middle initial?" asked Jessie. 

"I don't know if he has a middle name. No one else does in my family," said Maggie. "Maybe his real name was Jackson. My mother never actually said that Jack was his given name." Dr. Quest typed in 'Jackson Hardy.'

FILE NOT FOUND

They tried nearly twenty names and came up empty handed. They tried a matching search. Still, they found nothing. After three hours of searching, they were ready to quit.

"Maggie, It seems your father never worked for the CIA. If he did, files pertaining to his work are highly classified, or they have been erased. They simply don't exist," said Dr. Quest.

"There has to be something," Maggie argued in frustration. "I saw that CIA document. His name was on it in black and white."

"You did say you saw it some time ago. Perhaps you read it wrong," Hadji said. "Perhaps it was not a CIA document at all, but something entirely different." While everyone argued with Maggie about the document, Jessie had a sudden thought. She sat in the chair recently vacated by Dr. Quest and reopened the search option and typed in the name 'Laura Hardy.'

FILE NOT FOUND

Jessie was not to be deterred. "What was your mother's maiden name?" she asked Maggie.

"Franklin," Maggie answered absentmindedly. No one had noticed what Jessie was doing. Jessie typed in the name 'Laura Franklin.'

FILE FOUND

"Bingo!" she said. "Hey guys! Look at this!" The others crowded in around Jessie. "I had a hunch and put in Laura Franklin, and jackpot. It was your mother who worked for the CIA, not your father."

"Wow," Maggie said as she watched the pages of her mother's CIA history scroll past her on the computer screen. "I had no idea any of this ever happened. Stealing Russian documents during the Cold War, money laundering crackdowns, sabotaging South American drug lords..." 

"Some of this stuff is amazing," said Jonny. "I'll bet that even Race hasn't done things quite like this." Race gave Jonny a sideways glance, but the sixteen-year-old paid no attention to him.

"We should transfer all of this into our laptop," said Dr. Quest. "We can read through it later on at the hotel."

*JQJQJQJQ*

Later that night, in the hotel suite, Maggie and Dr. Quest sat before the laptop reading through Laura Franklin Hardy's service records. Jonny, Jessie, Hadji, and Race were watching a late night movie on TV. Bandit sat on Maggie's lap, content to let her pet him absentmindedly.

"I just don't know what to make of all this," Maggie sighed. "I never knew about any of this. Mom never said a word. It must have taken years to build a record like this."

"Yes, I quite agree," Dr. Quest replied. "When did she start with the CIA?"

"She probably started right after my grandfather died. She was all alone after that," Maggie reasoned. "It says here she began training when she was 22," Maggie read off the computer. "She was at the top of her class, and was put into a special operations training after only one year."

"That makes sense," Race said from the couch. "She had no family, she was young, and she probably wasn't afraid of the risks at that point in her life."

"This is interesting," said Dr. Quest, paging through the computer records, "This report was filed 15 years ago. Maggie, you were five years old."

"What? You mean she was still working for the CIA after she had me?" Maggie asked.

"It looks that way. The two of you moved around constantly because of your mother's assignments. I believe we've just found a major lead."

*JQJQJQJQ*

The next morning over room service, Laura Franklin Hardy was the popular topic of conversation. With every discovery about her life, dozens of questions were generated that there were no answers to. Beyond that, Maggie seemed to be having a little trouble coming to terms with her mother's secret life.

"It's strange," said Jonny during a lull in the discussion, "you moved around so often, but you stayed five years in Minnesota. If it was an assignment, what could have kept her there so long."

"I couldn't say," Maggie answered. "The only work I knew about was her secretarial job. I suppose that was just her cover."

"She may not have had an assignment there. If she took a leave, naturally she'd settle in one place for as long as she could for Maggie's benefit," Race suggested. "Any parent would do the same." It was obvious he was speaking from experience, rather than theorizing, and Maggie watched Race Bannon curiously.

"I don't think so, dad," interrupted Jessie. "Iris says that six of Laura's reports are on assignment to Minneapolis. There had to be something there, and for several years."

"Access every file pertaining to Minneapolis, Jessie," said Hadji.

"Got it," said Jessie. "What did you have in mind next?"

"Run a check on common factors- names, dates, places- anything similar," he replied.

"I think I know what you have in mind," said Dr. Quest. "If I'm right, we're going to pay a visit to Minnesota."

"That would be my thinking," Hadji said.

"This is interesting," said Jessie. "I've already got a list of matches. Someone named Connor Hovand III appears in nine of the files alone."

"Who the heck is he?" asked Jonny, "Have you ever heard of him?"

"Never," said Maggie. "What do the files say about him?"

"Well," said Hadji who was reading over Jessie's shoulder, "not much. He is the owner of a large corporation called Hovand Industries. It appears your mother was assigned to investigate his company long term."

"That's the company she worked for," Maggie said.

"That explains the long stay in Minneapolis," said Jonny, "but what was she supposed to find out?"

"It states 'investigation for unusual activity'. She was very likely spying on them," said Hadji.

"So, when do we leave, Doc?" asked Race.

*JQJQJQJQ*

Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota

The next afternoon the Dragonfly landed in Minneapolis. Maggie had an overwhelming sense of nostalgia. She took her new friends on a short tour of the city the minute they arrived. It was a much needed break from the real reason they had gone to the city.

"If we were here on a pleasure trip I would have to suggest going to Duluth on the shore of Lake Superior. It is one of the most beautiful spots in the state," Maggie said.

"Did you go there with your mom?" asked Jonny. Maggie nodded with a smile.

"We went up there for a week every summer. It was so much fun," she said.

"Well," said Race, "now that we're somewhat familiar with the area, we should go and check out Hovand Industries."

"We'll have to look it up in the Yellow Pages. I don't remember where it was located, and even if I did, they could have moved," Maggie said. They stopped at a phone booth to find a listing.

"Here it is," said Dr. Quest. "It's just two blocks from here." They set out along the city streets, and when they arrived, they approached the receptionist and waited in line to see her. After twenty minutes they got their turn. "Can you tell me if Connor Hovand is in the building today?" Dr. Quest asked the middle aged woman behind the desk.

"Mr. Hovand? Of course he is," she said in irritation. "What do you need, Sir?"

"We would like to see Mr. Hovand. You may tell him that Dr. Benton Quest and party would like to speak with him." 

"I can't do to that. You'll have to call his office and speak with his secretary," the receptionist said in a haughty voice. "Everyone important knows that."

"Then please connect me with Mr. Hovand's secretary," Dr. Quest requested patiently. He stood there, staring at her, waiting until she picked up her phone. She dialed a number and waited for an answer.

"Yes, Miss Trencher, I have a Dr. Benton Quest here at the reception desk who wishes to see Mr. Hovand." The receptionist waited for a reply on the other end. "I didn't think so. He seems to think it's important." She listened for a moment. "I don't believe that these people will go away without a word from Mr. Hovand directly. Perhaps you should buzz Mr. Hovand and ask him. It would eliminate a security personnel hassle." The receptionist pulled the receiver from her ear. "Miss Trencher will speak to Mr. Hovand, but he is a very busy man and I have no doubt that he will send you people away."

"We shall see," said Dr. Quest with a wink to Race and the kids. They didn't know what he had up his sleeve, but they sensed it was something in their favor.

"Oh, Yes Miss Trencher. That's what he said. Dr. Benton Quest and party." The receptionist looked surprised. "Of course. I'll send them right up." She hung up the phone and turned to the group. "Mr. Hovand will see you right away. Take the elevator to the twenty-sixth floor. Miss Trencher will meet you when you get off."

"Thank-you," said Dr. Quest. They all walked toward the elevator, the receptionist watching them in disbelief.

*JQJQJQJQ*


	3. Hidden Envelope

Disclaimer:

All characters affiliated with JQ: TRA are owned by Hanna Barbara. No infringement of copyrights are intended. This is a work of fiction written by a fan for other fans' enjoyment. No money was made off of this fic.

Warnings:

Overall Rating of PG. Contains mild language, and some mature themes, and mild violence. (Honestly, there isn't anything worse than what you might find in a Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys mystery.)

A Note from the Author:

I would like to explain my lack of interest concerning problems, discontinuities, or out of character moments in this fic. There are several reasons. One, this fic takes place when Jonny is sixteen. That would be two years after the TV series conclusion, so of course the cannon characters are not exactly the same. True, I never really give reasons for any character changes, but that would be due to reason number two. Two, at the time I began writing JQ fics I was six years younger and less experienced than I am now. There are mistakes in these pages I would never make now, but I don't want to take the time and energy to fix it. I'm kind of fond of my early work in a nostalgic sort of way, and I don't really want to change it. Three, my main work is writing for the Fushigi Yugi fandom, and working on a real novel I've recently begun. My only reason for posting this is that I spent all that time writing it, so I may as well post it. Otherwise, it just gathers e-dust on my hard drive.

The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest

Industry of Intrigue

By: Sapphire (SapphireWings)

Chapter Three: Hidden Envelope

Location: Quest Compound, Maine

When they reached the twenty-sixth floor, they got off the elevator. A pretty, black haired woman was standing there waiting for them. "I am Miss Amelia Trencher. I work for Mr. Hovand as his secretary. Follow me please."

"Thank-you," said Dr. Quest. From the moment Miss Trencher spoke, everyone in the group was uneasy. It wasn't apparent what the cause was, but the atmosphere suddenly felt electric and intense. Miss Trencher led them down a long hallway toward the other side of the building. She stopped in front of a frosted-glass door. The word 'President' was written on it in black type. The secretary rapped smartly on the door then stuck her head inside the room beyond it. "Dr. Quest, Sir," she announced. There was an inaudible reply from the other side. "Right this way," Miss Trencher said, holding the door for them. They all entered the room.

"Ah, Dr. Quest, how good it is to see you. I wasn't expecting you," said the middle aged man behind the huge mahogany desk. He wasn't exactly a big man, but he had a somewhat stocky build and a decent height when he stood to shake Dr. Quest's hand. He had a darker complexion, matching his dark brown hair and brown eyes; indeed, he was the ideal picture of a successful industrial giant. Outwardly he seemed genuine, but his pleasant façade did not quite reach his eyes.

"Mr. Hovand, let me introduce you to my companions. These are my sons, Jonny and Hadji. My associate, Race Bannon, and his daughter Jessie. And this is Maggie."

"Nice to meet you," Mr. Hovand said coolly, but not impolitely.

"I admit, I wasn't expecting to drop in," Dr. Quest said. "Things have a strange way of working out." Mr. Hovand nodded in agreement.

"When was the last time we spoke, Dr. Quest? I cannot seem to recall…"

"Not since you walked out of that conference in Washington six months ago," Dr. Quest reminded.

"Yes, so it was." Connor Hovand's polite façade faded in degree. It was clear the conference was not a pleasant memory. "You said you hadn't planned to see me?"

"That's right," Dr. Quest replied. "I'm looking for information on a woman named Laura Franklin. She has recently disappeared, and I need to get in touch with her. I've learned she once worked here as a secretary. I'd like to speak to whomever employed her, if I could. He or she may be able to provide useful information."

"I'm sorry, Dr. Quest, but I simply cannot help you," Mr. Hovand said, fidgeting absently with some papers on his desk. "Past employee records are unavailable to the public. There isn't anything I can do."

"Are you sure that you can't do anything?" Maggie spoke up.

"Yes, Miss- er?"

"Miss Hardy," Maggie supplied.

"Yes, Miss Hardy," finished Mr. Hovand, "I'm sure." Connor Hovand let his eyes rest curiously on Maggie. It caused some discomfort among the entire group.

"I'm simply asking if you could make an inquiry," Dr. Quest said, drawing Mr. Hovand's attention away from Maggie. "Someone must remember Laura Franklin. She was here only four years ago."

"That cannot be arranged. I'm sorry, but company policy prohibits such an action."

"I see," said Dr. Quest sourly. Race cast him a sympathetic glance. The man was maddening.

"What about a weekly news bulletin," Jessie suggested. "A small notice can be placed in it."

"I'm afraid that we don't have a company bulletin. I'm terribly sorry," said Mr. Hovand. 

"A memo, then," Race tried.

"A personal matter such as this does not warrant a memo," Mr. Hovand said flatly. It was clear he was tired of being polite.

"You can't do anything?" Jonny tried. "You're the president of the company."

"No, I can't," Hovand said. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a client coming any moment now." They all knew a dismissal when they heard one. "You should join me for dinner while you're in town, Dr. Quest. Your son and friends here, of course. Say, tonight?" Connor Hovand said, making parting pleasantries.

"Actually-" began Dr. Quest.

"Well if you can't make it…" Mr. Hovand interrupted.

"We'd love to," Benton finished, never mind what he had started to say. It seemed Connor Hovand was just a little too eager to get rid of them.

"Delightful," said Mr. Hovand with little enthusiasm.

"We'll excuse ourselves now," said Dr. Quest. "We'll be looking forward to this evening. Where should we meet?"

"In the lobby, five o'clock. I know of a marvelous place not far from here. Formal attire of course."

"Until tonight then." With that, the whole group left Mr. Hovand's office and retraced their steps to the elevator. No one said a word until they were on the street outside of the building.

"We ought to go to the hotel, Benton," said Race. "We can talk about it in private there."

*JQJQJQJQ*

"That man was hiding something," Maggie vented as they gathered in Benton Quest's suite. "He wasn't happy to see us at all. And he kept staring at me. He couldn't get us out of there fast enough. I can't believe you accepted an invitation to dinner, Dr. Quest. Though, I have to admit, it was good to see him squirm when you did. He wasn't expecting that." Dr. Quest smiled in amusement.

"Exactly why I accepted," Dr. Quest replied with a chuckle. "I thought it would be a good opportunity to try again. I don't trust Connor Hovand. I think you're right about his hiding something."

"I noticed he was careful to keep concealed from view the papers on his desk," Hadji remarked. "I was unable to read very much, however, I did get the impression it was an employee file." That got everyone's attention.

"Could you read the name?" Jonny asked.

"Are you sure about that?" Jessie said at the same time.

"I could not see any names," Hadji admitted, "but I was able to read the dates. Whomever was named in that file was employed between October 1989 and March 1995."

"That's about when Laura Franklin would have worked there," Jessie deducted.

"That's exactly when we moved in and out of Minneapolis," Maggie said. "You don't think…" she didn't finish her thought. Hadji shrugged.

"What conference were you talking about Dr. Quest?" Jessie asked, changing the subject. "Why did the president of Hovand Industries walk out?"

"It was in Washington on industrial waste. There are hundreds of rumors Hovand Industries has been a major part of the problem. There were constant accusations flying at the conference. Mr. Hovand walked out insulted."

"Do you think that could have something to do with why Laura Hardy was working there?" asked Jessie.

"Perhaps," said Dr. Quest. "But it isn't likely."

"The CIA files on Laura Franklin went back more than twenty years," Race said. "She was special ops. Most of the details of her work is classified. Her talents wouldn't have been wasted on industrial waste. She was too valuable for that."

"Looks like we need to do some more detective work," Jonny decided. "Let's go investigate the place Maggie and her mom lived. We might turn up a lead."

"Good idea," Maggie agreed. "Our house could hold a secret or two."

"Indeed," said Dr. Quest. "Jonny, you, Jessie, Maggie, and Race go to the house. Hadji and I will stay here. I want to see if we can hack into the Hovand Industries mainframe. There may be something there."

"Perhaps Iris can find more information on Ms. Franklin's work," Hadji added.

"Go for it," Race agreed. "Let's get going. We'll call you when we get there, Benton."

*JQJQJQJQ*

"Well, here it is," Maggie announced as they arrived in front of a tiny white house with blue trim. The yard had flower beds all over, and you could barely see a vegetable garden in the back behind the garage. "It's not much, but it was home. It's changed now. The new owners don't seem to keep up the property very well. That fence never existed then, nor did that maple tree in the center of the yard."

"Quiet little neighborhood," said Race. "It was a good place to live I'll bet."

"We liked it," said Maggie. She surveyed the property one more time. "Well, lets go see if anyone is home." They approached the front door and knocked. A dog barked inside the house. No one came. Maggie knocked on the door a second time. Still, there was no answer.

"No one's home," said Race. "Maybe we should come back later."

"No," said Maggie. "We can still look around outside. Who knows, maybe the owners will be back soon." They walked down the steps and along the sidewalk in front of the house. "Wait!" said Maggie. "I have to check something." She climbed over a coiled hose to the side of the house. She flipped up an outdoor outlet cover and something fell into her hand. "It _is_ still here!"

"What's still there?" asked Jonny.

"The key to the side door," Maggie answered simply.

"Oh, no," said Race. "We are not going to do any breaking and entering."

"Oh, please, Race. I have to get a look at something. It'll take two minutes. Besides, it isn't breaking and entering if you have a key. Please!" Maggie begged.

"Two minutes," said Race. "Preferably less." Maggie smiled her thanks and ran to the side door. It was easily opened with the key. She slipped inside. The little dog they had heard barking stood across the room and blankly stared at her. Maggie thought it was eerie the way it didn't blink. She took a deep breath and ignored the animal.

The house was messier on the inside than the outside. It obviously had not been cleaned in months. Maggie stepped over piles of junk as she made her way to her mother's old room. She stopped at her own on the way and wished she hadn't. It was completely destroyed, holes in the walls, wallpaper torn, broken window, stained carpet. Her once beautiful room was ruined.

She hurried on to her mother's old room. Once inside, she opened the closet and stepped all the way to the back. The wall was stone here. It was part of the old chimney connected to the wood burning stove that had heated the house long ago. Maggie counted the bricks upward from the floor and wiggled the loose one from its place. The day they had moved in she had found it by accident. When she had shared her discovery with her mother, her mother had remarked on what a great hiding place it would make.

Maggie held the removed brick with one hand and reached into the open space with the other. She felt around until her fingers touched on something smooth and covered in dust. Taking hold, she pulled out a large envelope. After feeling around again to make sure there was nothing else, she replaced the brick and got out of the house as fast as she could.

*JQJQJQJQ*

Back at the hotel, Dr. Quest was waiting patiently for Race and the others to call. They had been gone an hour and seven minutes, and he couldn't begin to think where they could be. Suddenly, all four came through the door. 

"Where on earth have you been?" asked the irritated Dr. Quest. "Do any of you realize that you didn't call?"

"Well, Benton," said Race, "We were involved in a little breaking and entering. We didn't think it was a good idea to get another accomplice involved."

"Breaking and entering?" Dr. Quest was stunned. "What on earth? You were supposed to be looking into Maggie's old home."

"We did get a look at it," said Jonny, "At least Maggie did. She found the key she and her Mom hid outside and used it to get into the house."

"You did what?!" exclaimed Dr. Quest.

"Don't be too angry," said Maggie. "I found something. It was in the secret hiding place in my mother's old clothes closet." Maggie pulled the envelope out from underneath her jacket. "I haven't opened it up yet. I was saving it for now."

"Well, lets see," said Dr. Quest. Maggie put her finger under the flap and easily separated the flap from the old glue holding it together. She slowly reached in and pulled out a short stack of papers. 

"I can't look," she said. "You do it Dr. Quest." Maggie held the papers to Dr. Quest. He took them from her and opened the front page. 

"These are documents from Hovand Industries. There are company accounting records, and some records on employees." Dr. Quest flipped through page after page of similar things. "Some rather bizarre shipment forms, too." Maggie took half of the stack and paged through as well.

"I wonder if these are the papers that caller meant," Maggie mused. "This could be incriminating evidence of some kind."

"If it was, wouldn't she have turned it in to her superiors?" Race asked. "No self-respecting agent would withhold something like that."

"She may have had a good reason for retaining these documents," Dr. Quest reasoned. "It may have been a wise choice at the time, if circumstances had warranted."

"I believe I have discovered those reasons," Hadji said, pulling a yellowed page from the envelope. He handed it to Maggie. "It seems to be a letter or note. The penciled words are too faded to read, but Maggie's name is discernable, as well as her mother's…and her father's."

"I'll bet Iris could read it for us," said Jessie, peering at the page over Maggie's shoulder. "Let's go scan it into Questworld." Hadji took back the old paper and placed it into the portable scanner set up on the suite's desk.

"This should take about two hours to do," Hadji informed them as the page scanned and he typed some commands into the computer. "Perhaps we could do something while we wait." No one seemed to have any suggestions.

"Dr. Quest?" Maggie asked after a moment. "Mr. Hovand said dinner would be formal. I don't have anything suitable to wear. Do you think it would be all right if I went shopping?"

"I could go too," Jessie said quickly.

"You don't like shopping," Jonny pointed out suspiciously.

"Can you think of anything better to do?" Jessie challenged. Jonny shook his head and said nothing.

"I don't see why not," said Dr. Quest. "Just don't go too far from the hotel and be back in two hours." Race nodded, and the two girls headed for the door.

"I know a great place, just a few blocks up the street," Maggie was saying as the door closed behind them.

*JQJQJQJQ*

Maggie finally decided on a navy blue dress with red embroidered trim. She had flinched when the register read the sale price. There wasn't much she could do. A credit card was passed to the cashier, and Maggie signed the receipt. Shoes, earrings, pantyhose, and underclothes soon followed.

"I can't believe I spent so much money today. I don't exactly have much," Maggie told Jessie as they picked up Maggie's shopping bags and left the store.

"I can loan you if you need cash," Jessie offered.

"That's okay," Maggie said. "My credit is good, and I have money to cover it. I just hope I don't end up spending too much more. It's just, I don't have much in savings, and with my mom missing, all her assets are frozen. Weston is reimbursing my tuition for this semester due to my unusual circumstances, but without my mom's support, I won't be able to pay for next semester."

"Dr. Quest would loan you the money, if you asked," Jessie suggested.

"I don't want to ask him for anything more than I already have. He's been-" Maggie stopped suddenly and looked around nervously. "I have a strange feeling," she said, "as if someone were watching us."

"Don't be silly," said Jessie, "who would be watching us?" As Jessie finished speaking, two men ran out from an empty store front doorway and grabbed them in the deserted side-corridor of the shopping center. "Hey!" Jessie shouted.

"Let go of me!" ordered Maggie. The two men were dragging the girls toward the exit and a waiting car outside. Both girls saw what they were doing and acted. Maggie stepped down hard on her attackers foot. "I said LET GO!" Jessie jabbed her assailant hard in the ribs, then spun around and kicked him in the back of the knee, pushing on him, forcing him down on his knee.

"We don't want her!" hissed the other. Jessie's attacker grabbed her, swinging her around and into a wall. She was momentarily stunned and fell to the floor. Her attacker stumbled to his feet and ran to open the doors. Jessie wasn't down long. She got up and jumped onto the back of the man struggling to drag Maggie to the same doors. He was huge and shrugged her off easily. Maggie's own attempts to free herself seemed futile.

Just before they reached the door a third person, an unknown young man, jumped in and grabbed the man who still held tight to the fighting Maggie. With the element of surprise on his side, he was able to take one arm and twist it behind the assailant's back. Jessie, on the floor after being thrown off again, jumped up to help the newcomer.

Facing the nearing doorway, Maggie saw Jessie's attacker coming back. Just as he reached them, she sent a foot flying at him, kicking him hard in the stomach. He doubled over and fell to his knees in pain. A moment later the restraining hold on her loosened and she was able to pry herself free. Grabbing for Jessie's hand, the two of them, and the stranger took off running to the other end of the mall. All three glanced back to see the two attackers make a run for the getaway car before security could be called.

They stopped running and looked around at all the gawking shoppers in the mall's rotunda. When the onlookers realized there was nothing more to see, they moved on and went about their business and left the three of them to themselves. Maggie immediately found a seat on a nearby bench, and Jessie joined her while the young man leaned against the shopping center's fountain.

"Thanks a lot for your help," Maggie finally said. "Who knows what would have happened to us if you hadn't been there." Jessie nodded in agreement. 

"You're welcome," he said, holding out his hand. "My name is Price. What's yours?"

"Maggie Hardy," she answered, smiling at the tall, lean young man with his wavy brown hair and lively green eyes. "This is my friend Jessie Bannon." She shook his outstretched hand."

"Pleasure to meet the both of you," Price said, shaking Jessie's hand. "What was that all about back there?" he asked, hitching his thumb in the general direction they had just run from.

"We're not quite sure," Jessie said, looking down the corridor. "Maybe we should go back and get your stuff, Maggie." Maggie nodded and the three stood up to retrieve the shopping bags from where they had been hastily dropped. "We were just leaving and they jumped us out of the blue."

"I hope neither of you are hurt," said Price. Both girls shook their heads no. "Good, I'm glad. Is there anything else that I can do for you?"

"No, thank you," Maggie said, "We have to be getting back to the hotel now. We'll be late and we don't want to worry anybody any more than we already will." Price nodded in understanding.

"Perhaps we'll meet again," said Price hopefully.

"Perhaps," said Maggie with a smile. Then she and Jessie picked up their shopping bags, and waved as they headed out the doors and back to the hotel.

*JQJQJQJQ*

"There you two are!" Dr. Quest exclaimed the moment the girls stepped into his suite. "We were beginning to get worried."

"You should be worried," said Maggie. "Two men tried to kidnap us at the shopping center."

"What!?" Race jumped up from his chair and crossed the room to his daughter.

"They jumped us as we were leaving, Dad," Jessie explained. "They were waiting in a vacant store front. There was no way we could have known they were there until it was too late."  


"Their attempt nearly worked, but Jessie was a bit too much to handle." Race smiled proudly at his daughter. "And then there was Price, of course."

"Price?" Dr. Quest asked.

"Unlike everyone else in the shopping center, he came to help us rather than stand by and watch stupidly as we were abducted in broad daylight." Maggie made no attempt to hide her feelings toward those bystanders.

"Dad," Jessie said, "I don't think they wanted me. When I broke loose, they said that I wasn't the one they wanted."

"It seems the people responsible for your mother's disappearance have found you," Hadji said. "I do not think this attack could have been a simple coincidence."

"I agree," Dr. Quest said. He looked at both Jessie and Maggie. "You are both unharmed?" The girls nodded. "Good. We have some news of our own. Iris was able to read the paper we scanned into Questworld."

"What's on it?" Maggie asked excitedly.

"It's a letter," Jonny said. "It's from your father. We didn't read it yet. We wanted to wait for you." Maggie was stunned into speechlessness. "There's something on the back, too." Jonny got up from the chair in front of the laptop and allowed Maggie to sit there. She stared at the keyboard for a moment before working up the courage to read the old letter.

Laura,

They let me write to prove I'm still alive. He reads my every word, so I can't say much. I miss you, and little Maggie. They took Matthew away, I don't know where he is, but they say he's safe and cared for. Keep our daughter with you. She's safer with you than anywhere else. I don't want to loose her, too. No matter what else, keep her safe. I love you.

Jack

Tears slowly trailed down Maggie's cheeks, but no one dared ask what the letter said. She clicked on the screen to read what had been on the back of the page.

Mrs. Hardy, 

I give you this warning and I expect you to heed it this time. Drop your investigation immediately and turn over your evidence to me. If not, the consequences will be felt by first your husband, then your son, and finally your daughter.

Maggie was shaking as she rose from the chair in front of the laptop. She managed to walk the few steps to the window where she simply stared down at the traffic on the street below. No one said anything for a long time. Finally, Dr. Quest decided someone had to speak.

"Maggie, are you all right?" he asked. She shook her head and wiped away some of her tears.

"I have a brother," she said. "My mother never told me. I have to find him. I have to find them all. Dead or alive."

*JQJQJQJQ*


	4. Dinner

Disclaimer:

All characters affiliated with JQ: TRA are owned by Hanna Barbara. No infringement of copyrights are intended. This is a work of fiction written by a fan for other fans' enjoyment. No money was made off of this fic.

Warnings:

Overall Rating of PG. Contains mild language, and some mature themes, and mild violence. (Honestly, there isn't anything worse than what you might find in a Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys mystery.)

A Note from the Author:

Okay, two chapters for you again. If you like, drop me a review, if not, keep your comments to yourself. I will delete flames.

The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest

Industry of Intrigue

By: Sapphire (SapphireWings)

Chapter Four: Dinner

Location: Quest Compound, Maine

Late that afternoon, the group gathered once again in Dr. Quest's suite. This time everyone was dressed in formal attire and were attending to the final touches.

"You really shouldn't wear that necklace," Jessie said to Maggie. "It doesn't match your dress."

"I will never take it off. This ring on the chain was Mom's engagement ring," Maggie declared.

"I didn't know," said Jessie, "I'm sorry."

"Would you two stop primping in front of the mirror so we can go?" asked Jonny. Maggie spun around and gave him an icy glare. "Okay, primp," he said, backing off.

"A wise man would never antagonize a woman who is standing before a mirror. He would know he is standing on thin ice," said Hadji.

"No kidding," Jonny shot back sarcastically.

"I'm sorry," Maggie apologized. "I'm just nervous. I think I'm terrified of that man."

"Mr. Hovand?" Jonny asked. Maggie nodded.

"About that necklace," Hadji volunteered, "I understand its value, but perhaps it could it be identified by Mr. Hovand? If so, it would not be wise to wear it this evening."

"It's possibly, but I will _never_ take it off," Maggie replied with determination.

"Might you wear it wrapped around your wrist? It would be less visible there," Hadji suggested. Maggie considered the suggestion, then nodded her consent as she took the chain from around her neck. Jonny took it from her and secured it around her wrist.

"Do you think we'll find anything out, Dr. Quest?" Jessie asked. "Mr. Hovand was pretty tight-lipped this afternoon."

"I don't know," he replied. "I hope so." 

"We're going to be late," Race spoke up. "Let's get going." Everyone grabbed jackets and coats and headed for the door.

*JQJQJQJQ*

The Quest party arrived in the lobby five minutes to five o'clock. Being just a few minutes early, they found some chairs and settled down to wait. Jessie and Maggie had found a place facing the elevators, and they sat watching the people get on and off the elevators, looking for their host.

"Price!" they both exclaimed when the young man stepped off one elevator with a dozen other people. He looked up curiously until he saw the two girls waiting on the lobby sofa.

"Maggie! Jessie! What are you two doing here!" he crossed the tiled floor to join them. "You both look beautiful. Is it a special occasion?" Neither answered because Connor Hovand had gotten off the same elevator, and was right behind Price, a beautiful woman in her mid-forties on his arm.

"You know these young ladies?" Mr. Hovand suddenly asked. "Where did you meet them?" Price spun around.

"You know them, Father?" he asked. Maggie and Jessie exchanged a shocked glance. Then returned the questioning looks Jonny and Hadji were giving them. They had had no idea. They hadn't even gotten Price's last name. He hadn't volunteered, and they hadn't asked.

"I met them in the mall earlier today. There was some trouble, and I helped them out," Price answered Mr. Hovand, his father.

"It seems the girls have met your son," Dr. Quest said before anyone else could react to the strange situation. "But the rest of us have yet to make his acquaintance, and of course, this lovely woman must be your wife." Whatever Connor Hovand had wanted to say died on his tongue before it was spoken. He turned to Dr. Quest.

"Of course," he said. "This is my wife Abigail, and my son Connor Hovand IV. He prefers to be called by his middle name, Price, to avoid confusion. Abigail, allow me to introduce our guests. This is Dr. Benton Quest and his son, Jonathan." They exchanged greetings. "Benton's adopted son, Hadji Singh. This is Race Bannon and his daughter Jessica. They are friends of the Quests."

"This is Maggie Hardy, Mother," Price finished, not missing his father's deliberate exclusion. "She and Miss Bannon and I met in the mall this afternoon."

"Oh, how terrible for you sweet girls," Abigail Hovand said. "Price told me all about it. I'm so glad my son was able to help you."

"We are too, Mrs. Hovand," Jessie agreed.

"Dinner awaits us," Mr. Hovand interrupted, taking his wife's arm. "We have reservations. We mustn't be late." The rest of the group had no choice but to follow his lead and exit the building through the revolving doors at the front entrance. Outside, a white stretch limousine awaiting them. "Our Limo was specially outfitted with numerous comforts for large numbers of passengers," Mr. Hovand said after they had all managed to fit in.

"Somehow that doesn't impress me," Maggie whispered to Jonny who was seated beside her. "I have never seen the inside of a Limo before. How am I supposed to know the difference between a standard Limo and a custom car." Jonny grinned in amusement.

"What did you say?" Price asked from Maggie's other side.

"I was saying this is my first ride in a limousine," Maggie replied with a wink at Jonny.

*JQJQJQJQ*

The drive was short; the restaurant was only a few blocks away. The chauffeur pulled up to a fancy walkway under a hunter green canopy. He stopped the car and let the passengers out. They entered the restaurant with Mr. Hovand leading them. The Maitre d' recognized him instantly and led them through the elegant dining area to a large table at the back, directly beside a beautiful marble fountain adorned with live flowers. Everyone found seats and engaged in polite conversation while consulting the menu. After a fifteen minute discussion of the signature entrees, orders were placed and hors d'oeuvres were served.

"So," said the elder Connor Hovand, "I've been curious since this afternoon. Who, exactly, is the lovely Miss Hardy? Perhaps she is a relation?"

"No," both Maggie and Dr. Quest answered. They glanced at one another surreptitiously. Mr. Hovand laughed.

"Do you really dislike each other so much?" Maggie blushed, and Dr. Quest cleared his throat.

"Not at all," Dr. Quest replied. "I happen to like Miss Hardy very much. Actually, she's interning with me."

"Really?" Mr. Hovand said. "What kind of intern work do you do with Dr. Quest?" If anyone would have cared to notice, they would have found that half the Quest party was holding his or her breath in anticipation of Maggie's response. Whether or not she would say too much was hard to tell. They hadn't known her long enough to know how well she was with touchy situations where discretion was the name of the game.

"As you know Dr. Quest is knowledgeable in many fields," Maggie began slowly. "I'm having trouble settling on a degree program and on of my instructors, Dr. Feldman, introduced us suggesting it would be beneficial to both of us to participate in this internship." It was safe to breathe again.

"I'm aware of Dr. Quest's many talents. What, specifically, are you most interested in?" Breathing ceased once again.

"We've just begun working together," Maggie said without hesitation. "So far I've been familiarizing myself with the superior computer systems his labs run on. Public universities just don't have the funding for that kind of technology. I'm actually hoping to learn about some of the work he's been doing with cryogenics. I hear his work has advanced technology for cryostasis by leaps and bounds. Preserving living organisms to be revived and used later could prove to be a very important technological ability in the coming decades."

"You've read about my work?" Dr. Quest asked, surprised. Maggie smiled.

"Of course. Who in the scientific world hasn't?" she asked innocently.

"Simply fascinating," Mr. Hovand said with little enthusiasm. Breathing was safe once again. The rest of the dinner was uneventful. Mrs. Hovand insisted the girls tell her about their scare at the downtown shopping center. They didn't feel much like discussing it in detail in front of Connor Hovand III. Their reluctance did not phase Abigail Hovand. She praised her son's brave actions until Price was flushed with embarrassment. Jessie, Maggie, and Price were all glad when they stood up to leave at the end of dinner.

"I just had the most marvelous idea!" exclaimed Mrs. Hovand. "It is still so early, only seven o'clock. Why don't we go up to the conservatory. The gardens there are gorgeous year round. We could have cocktails and sit on the greenhouse terrace." Mr. Hovand looked as though he were about to object, and Mrs. Hovand looked ready to tear up.

"I think that's a wonderful idea," Price said. He turned to the Quests. "It really is something to see. Not many get to."

"Why not?" Dr. Quest agreed. Race gave him a questioning look, and as they stood to leave, he gave his friend an inquiring nudge.

"We could be doing something more important," Race whispered.

"We spent all of dinner avoiding Hovand's questions," Dr. Quest replied. "I still want to ask a few of my own." Race was satisfied with that and said nothing more about it. Twenty minutes later they were on the roof of the Hovand Industries building in an immense domed greenhouse that topped the tall structure. Under the glass ceiling grew literally millions of plants and flowers, even trees. To the west was a brilliant sunset as a backdrop for the spectacular view of the city all around.

"This is absolutely breathtaking," Maggie commented to Mrs. Hovand

"Why, thank-you dear," Mrs. Hovand beamed with pride. "I belong to an exclusive gardening club. This is where we display all of our best growing things. The rest is kept up for atmosphere."

"Mother designed the landscaping," Price added. "She went to design school, but she rarely gets to use her talents. You're compliment means more to her than she'd admit." Abigail was smiling at her son as he spoke. It was easy to see that mother and son shared a very close relationship.

"Feel free to make yourselves comfortable. There are plenty of tables and chairs on the terrace by the fish pond," Mr. Hovand invited, "I'll have one of my staff come serve drinks."

"That would be lovely," Mrs. Hovand agreed, and they did make themselves comfortable.

"Mother, where's Devin? I haven't had the chance to ask, but I've been wondering," Price asked.

"Who's Devin?" asked Jonny.

"My younger brother," Price explained.

"He said he had things to attend to. At least, that is what your father told me," Mrs. Hovand answered. "My little Devin is always crusading to save this endangered species or to protect that rainforest. Quite a busy activist he's becoming."

"She seems a little over zealous of her sons," Maggie whispered to Jonny.

"That's an understatement!" Jonny whispered back. Dr. Quest had said something to Mrs. Hovand to which she was replying.

"He is amazing Dr. Quest. Only twenty and already saving the world." Jonny and Maggie exchanged a glance and smiled to themselves.

"Would you like to take a walk around the gardens with me?" Price quietly asked Maggie. She practically leapt at the chance. She needed to get away from Mr. Hovand's watchful gaze and she wondered if she might be able to get more information from Price.

"Absolutely." Price excused them from the group and led her toward a paved pathway leading into the jungle housed within the immense greenhouse. Jonny gave Maggie a curious look as she passed. She smiled and waved, then gave him a wink before disappearing down the path. She walked with Price to the far side of the gardens before either of them spoke. 

"So, you work for Dr. Quest," Price said, "You don't strike me as the scientific type."

"What makes you say that?" Maggie inquired.

"You just seem out of place when it comes to science," he ventured. "You don't have the seriousness usually associated with a scientist."

"No, I suppose not," Maggie agreed. "Its hard to be serious when I'm not sure where my life is going."

"I suppose that's reasonable."

"What about you, what do you do?" Maggie asked. "Your younger brother seems to have his life's work all planned out. Do you have any passions like his insatiable desire to save the world?" Price laughed.

"Devin just finished his second year of college. He works with an environmental group as an extra curricular activity. He really isn't the saint Mother makes him out to be."

"I can understand that. There is nothing more pure than a mother's love and pride for her child."

"I suppose, but Devin is adopted." Maggie couldn't help but stare at Price.

"Adopted?" she asked. "Are you adopted, too, then?" Price shook his head.

"No. I'm their natural son."

"I don't mean to be rude, but why did your parents adopt a second child when they could have children of their own…or couldn't they after you?" Maggie blushed, wondering if she had overstepped her bounds. If Connor Hovand was the evil man responsible for her family's destruction, what would have possessed him to pity an orphan boy and adopt him?

"I don't think it was because they couldn't have more children, they simply didn't. Then one day Father brought a little boy home. He told mother it would only be for a day or two. Mother fell in love with Devin instantly, and when she found out he had no family, she was set on keeping him herself. Sometimes she doesn't seem very serious, but she can be formidable when she gets an idea into her head. So now I'm stuck with a little brother who's been a thorn in my side for years."

"Don't you like him?" Maggie asked.

"Of course I do. You know how it is with siblings."

"I don't, really. I'm an only child," Maggie told him.

"Oh, I didn't know."

"So, where is your brother? Your mother didn't exactly say much. And I got the impression you knew more than you were letting on." Price laughed.

"You're very astute," he said. "Devin is actually looking for his real family. Apparently they're dead, but Father never would name them. Devin's always resented that. Father is the only one who knows anything, and he hasn't said a word since Devin came to us. Devin has asked, but Father refused to tell him anything."

"Why would he do a thing like that?" Maggie wondered.

"We guess its because Father thinks he's ungrateful for the family and home he had with us. That's completely untrue. So, the two of us have been trying to locate information about his biological parents without Father knowing. I keep up the pretense that I don't know anything. Then Father doesn't get suspicious." Price stopped and frowned as he drifted off into thought. Maggie wondered what was bothering him, and when he looked up, he must have guessed at her thoughts because he answered them. "The last time I spoke to him, Devin said he'd found a clue and was going to check up on it. He's been gone a week and for some reason, he's not speaking to me. He's only been speaking to Father. It isn't like him."

"He won't speak with your mother?" Maggie asked.

"No," Price said earnestly, "and that bothers me." It seemed to Maggie that there was a whole lot of missing persons these days. Oddly, all of them had something to do with Connor Hovand III or Hovand Industries. How very interesting.

"You don't seem to have the relationship with your father that you do with your mother. And from what I can tell, neither does your brother," Maggie commented.

"Again, you're very astute," Price said. "Devin has good reason to be distant with Father, you can understand. Me, I don't see eye to eye with him on many thing, mainly my own future. He wants me to take over as president of Hovand Industries someday, but I don't want anything to do with that company."

"I gather there's been more than one argument over this," Maggie surmised. Price laughed.

"You could say that," he said. "That company is always in the papers for something it does wrong. There have been so many scandals...there's no way to save it. I take that back. A person could keep it running, and make money, if that person kept up the charade. Most of the rumors are true, and there have been a lot of cover-ups. I don't want to deal with it. I just wish my father would leave me alone and let me do what I want to do," Price said. Maggie wondered about the cover-ups, but didn't want to press the subject.

"What do you really want to do?" Maggie asked.

"I want to get into engineering, but my father doesn't think a Hovand should have to do such prosaic work. What do you think?" Price said.

"In my opinion?" Prince nodded when she paused. "I think you should do what you want. You're a grown man and you're the one who has to live with your decisions for the rest of your life."

"Thanks, Maggie. I'm glad to hear someone besides Devin say that." Maggie smiled. "So, you're an only child? What about your family? What was growing up like for you. You've heard my life story, now it's your turn." Maggie wasn't sure what to say to that. She couldn't very well tell him her family had been kidnapped and his father was probably responsible.

"There you are," Jonny interrupted with perfect timing. "Dad says we have to get back to the hotel."

"Alright. I'm coming," Maggie said, joining Jonny.

"Let me walk with you," Price said, following. Jonny and Maggie paused until Price caught up, then they walked three abreast along the deserted pathway. As they walked, they started to feel uneasy, glancing around nervously. It felt as though they were being watched.

As they approached the back side of the fish pond, footsteps sounded behind them. Before they could turn to look, they were each grabbed from behind. A strange smelling rag was clamped down over their noses and mouths.

Looking to either side of her, Maggie saw Jonny and Price slowly slumping to the ground unconscious. Maggie felt her eyes droop heavily, and through the growing haze in her mind, she realized the funny odor on the rag was chloroform. Then the world went dark.

*JQJQJQJQ*

"Those three should have been back by now," Race said to Dr. Quest. "Something's wrong."

"I agree," said Dr. Quest. "Mr. Hovand, could you call some of your security to come up here and have a look?"

"Why don't we just look around for ourselves," Jessie suggested, her eyes narrowed in a suspicious glare directed at Connor Hovand III. "I'm sure we can find them."

"Alright," Dr. Quest agreed. "Let's take a look around." Race led the way, following in the direction Jonny had gone. They didn't have to go far to find a clue.

"What is that?" Hadji pointed to a folded cloth lying on the brick pathway. Race bent to inspect in and carefully picked it up. His nose wrinkled as it caught a faint odor from the rag. He took a better sniff, then handed it to Dr. Quest solemnly. Dr. Quest examined it briefly.

"It's soaked in chloroform," he pronounced.

"Look here," Jessie gasped. She held up a glittering piece of jewelry. It was the necklace that held Laura Hardy's engagement ring, the very necklace Maggie had proclaimed she would never take off.

"The clasp appears to be broken," Hadji said, taking a closer look. The four of them looked between one another while Mr. and Mrs. Hovand looked on curiously.

"Scuff marks," Race suddenly said, pointing to the faint markings on the bricks. "Something heavy was dragged through here."

"More than one thing, I would say," Dr. Quest assessed.

"You mean like three people?" Jessie suggested. The four of them looked to each other once again.

"The elevators," Race said. They took off running toward the elevators where they had come up to the roof. When they got there, one was descending, and it was already on the thirtieth floor, nearly twenty floors below them, and descending fast. Race's gaze scoured the floor. "The drag marks lead right to the elevator," he said.

*JQJQJQJQ*

Maggie awoke to find herself lying on a hard, cold floor. Putting a hand to her dizzy head, she sat up slowly, opening her bleary eyes to look around. She found herself in some sort of cell. There was a thick steel door set in one of the cement walls. It had only a tiny square window in the center at about eye level. The window was the only source of light in the tiny, enclosed space. Two bunks, one on each wall, hung low to the ground. Next to her on the floor was Jonny, still unconscious. Price was missing, and Maggie briefly wondered why before realizing she should try and wake Jonny.

"Jonny," she said quietly, "Wake up." He slowly came to, confused at first, but memory returning quickly. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah, I think so," he said after a long moment. "Kind of dizzy, but that's about it."

"Do you remember how we got here? We were chloroformed, and then…" Jonny shook his head. "Me either." Maggie sighed while Jonny took his turn looking around their confined cell. Maggie watched as his eyes traveled around the space, taking in the exact details she had noted. 

"Where's Price?" Jonny asked.

"I don't know," Maggie replied. "He wasn't here when I woke up, either."

"You needn't worry about him," came a deep toned man's voice from the little window in the door. Both Jonny and Maggie looked up at the angular, shadowed face barely visible there.

"Who are you?" Jonny demanded.

"Let's just say I'm a friend of your host's."

"And who would our 'host' be?" asked Jonny.

"You'll find out soon enough," replied the man.

"Are you going to tell us anything useful, or are you just going to taunt us?" Maggie demanded. "We don't need any grief from you."

"A little sassy are we, Miss Hardy?" he said in a condescending tone. "You'll know what we want you to know when we want you to know it." With that he turned and left.

"Hey!" Jonny shouted, jumping up and waving his had out the tiny window. "Hey! Where are you going? What's going to happen to us?" The man's footsteps kept going until a heavy metal door creaked open and was closed with a slam. He was gone.

Maggie sat slumped against the wall dejectedly. Jonny stepped over and sat on one of the bunks, deep in thought. Neither moved for a long time. Ever so slowly they became aware that someone was softly calling Maggie's name. The voice sounded dry and raspy, like a very old man's.

"Maggie, Maggie! Answer me!" Maggie glanced at Jonny a moment, unsure what to do. Jonny shrugged. It was her call.

"Who's there?"

"Maggie! Is that you?"

"Yes, now who are you?" she replied.

"My baby girl! I never thought I'd ever hear your voice!"

"Are you my father?" Maggie asked incredulously.

"Yes, it's me sweetie. I'm Jack Hardy, your father."

"Prove it," the skepticism in Jonny's voice was clear. "Why should we believe you?" Jonny gave Maggie a warning look. Maggie kept quiet, waiting for the stranger's answer.

"Silver Bells," the man said.

"What?" Maggie hadn't expected that.

"Your mother told me to tell you 'Silver Bells.' I don't know why. There wasn't time to explain before they took her away."

"Where are you?" Maggie asked, nearly in tears.

"I'm in one of these cells, Sweetie. I don't know which one. I don't know which one you're in, either."

"Why are they doing this to us?" she whimpered, barely keeping a rein on her emotions.

"You must have some idea what's going on. Tell me what you know," Jack said.

"Don't say anything, Maggie," Jonny whispered urgently. "I don't think that we can trust him."

"Don't be ridiculous," Maggie argued. "He knew-"

"So what?" Jonny said seriously, "What if these people found out about 'Silver Bells' and are setting you up? We can't risk giving away my dad. Besides, you've never met your father. There's no way you can be sure."

"You're right, Jonny," Maggie admitted reluctantly, wiping tears from the corners of her eyes. "I don't know my father. We can't let them get your dad. What's happened to my family is bad enough."

"What we need," Jonny said, "is a plan. We need to get out of this cell. Then we can find out if that man is really your father or not." Maggie nodded solemnly.

"Right. And chances are, they killed my dad a long time ago," Maggie swallowed hard, keeping herself from breaking down and crying. "Obviously, my mother didn't give in to these people's demands. Otherwise, none of this would be happening right now."

"Maggie?" the man's raspy voice interrupted. "What's going on? Talk to me, honey."

"I'm sorry. I can't tell you anything, but maybe you could tell me what you know. Do you know why they're holding us here?"

"Your mother stole some documents these people want back. They'll murder to get it," he told them. "That's all I know."

"That's _all_?" said Jonny incredulously. "You've been a hostage for twenty years and that's all you have?"

"Could you…" Maggie started uncertainly, "Could you tell me something about you and Mom, something no one would know but you, her, and me?" There was no answer from the man in the other cell.

"You are not my father," Maggie announced. "My real father would have had something to say. Who are you and what do you want from me?"

"Smart-ass little girl," the man snarled. "You should have just told me where it was." Footsteps approached the cell which housed Jonny and Maggie. "It would have been less painful for you in the end."

"What do you mean?" Jonny demanded. "Are you going to torture us?" The man did not answer. He stared at the through the tiny window, then walked away. Jonny and Maggie listened in silence until the same creaking door opened and closed again.

"I'm scared, Jonny," Maggie admitted. "How are we going to get out of this?"

"Don't be," he told her. "I'll think of something. I always do."

*JQJQJQJQ*


	5. Jack

Disclaimer:

All characters affiliated with JQ: TRA are owned by Hanna Barbara. No infringement of copyrights are intended. This is a work of fiction written by a fan for other fans' enjoyment. No money was made off of this fic.

Warnings:

Overall Rating of PG. Contains mild language, and some mature themes, and mild violence. (Honestly, there isn't anything worse than what you might find in a Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys mystery.)

A Note from the Author:

It's been over a month since my last posting, so, I've decided to post the rest of the chapters here and now. As always, if you like, drop me a review. If not, then just ignore me.

The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest

Industry of Intrigue

By: Sapphire (SapphireWings)

Chapter Five: Jack

Location: Quest Compound, Maine

Benton Quest, Race, Jessie, and Hadji were out of leads. They had watched the elevator descend to the underground parking ramp, and then taken another down to try and catch them. All they found was a trail of scuff marks ending near a fresh set of tire marks.

Dejectedly, they went back to their hotel to see if they could come up with any new information from Laura Franklin Hardy's CIA records. After hours of going over them again and again, they concluded one thing. Connor Hovand III and Hovand Industries was the key to everything, and they wouldn't find Maggie and Jonny until they found out what Hovand was up to.

"I hate sitting around with those two kids missing," Race vented with frustration. "Jonny and Maggie are no match for people like Hovand."

"I know that, Race," said Dr. Quest, "but we can't go after them until we find out where they are."

"What about the papers Maggie got from the house?" Jessie suggested. "We were so excited about the letter we didn't even look at the other stuff."

"It could be very important," Hadji agreed, "if Laura Hardy hid it and left it behind."

*JQJQJQJQ*

Jonny and Maggie whispered excitedly as they put their plan together. Jonny still had his communicator watch on his wrist, and it was conveniently equipped with a homing beacon. Jonny had felt like kicking himself for not thinking of it sooner, and Maggie had blamed the lapse of common sense on the chloroform.

"Do you think the signal will reach your dad?" Maggie inquired. "I've heard these things don't work if the target is too far from the receiver."

"It has a satellite link," Jonny said. "My dad can track me anywhere in the world if he wanted. I just hope he's looking, because if he's not, I don't know how we're going to get his attention with it."

"Well, it's a communicator isn't it?" Maggie pointed out. "Can't you just call him up or something?"

"I thought about that," Jonny explained, "but I think these people would notice the transmission right away. It works a lot like a cellular phone. But a homing device? How many people walk around with one of those?"

"Good point," Maggie conceded. She watched closely as Jonny held his breath and activated the homing beacon. A tiny green light flashed at regular intervals, indicating it was working. "How will we know if they get the signal?" Maggie asked.

"We don't," Jonny said grimly. "It only works one way."

"Can we change the intervals of the signal?" Maggie wondered aloud, watching the green light flash in the dimly lit cell. "I read somewhere about someone trapped in a mine who used a walkie-talkie to send Morse Code signals when the transmitter only sent and received static. Could we do something like that?"

"Maybe, but it would be hard," Jonny thought. "What message would we send? I don't know Morse Code."

"SOS, of course" Maggie said. "Three short, three long, three short."

"I guess we could try, but it still doesn't guarantee they'll see."

"What about Iris?"

"Iris? You mean send the message to Questworld?" Jonny turned thoughtful. "I think you might have something there. I could relay the message to the computer and tell Iris to relay the message to my dad."

"What are you waiting for?" Maggie said, "Get working on it."

*JQJQJQJQ*

Dr. Quest was working late. He was going through the files downloaded from Agent Parcell's computer for a fifth time. Working with Iris was the best way to analyze them, as well as their best chance of finding some kind of lead. Sitting back in his chair, he rubbed the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger, trying to get his bleary vision to clear.

Jessie Bannon knocked on his door and entered at his absent-minded "Come in." She approached him with a packet of papers, the ones in the envelope taken from Maggie and Laura's old home. Holding them out to him, she sighed.

"I thought you might want to see these yourself," she said. "I can't make sense of the, but I have this nagging feeling that there's something important in them. Maybe I'm just reading them wrong. Maybe I am reading it, but I just don't recognize it."

"Thank-you, Jessie," Dr. Quest said, taking the papers from her. "I could use a break from this." He gestured at the laptop on the desk in front of him.

"I can work on that for a while," Jessie offered. "I can tell you if Iris finds anything."

"You're welcome to it." Dr. Quest vacated his seat and moved to a small sofa with the packet of papers. Jessie plopped down in his place and started punching away at the keyboard. They worked in silence for a long time. 

MESSAGE: _ _ _ __ __ __ _ _ _

"What on earth is this?" Jessie wondered aloud. "Dr. Quest, what is this message for?" Dr. Quest rose from the sofa and leaned over Jessie's shoulder, peering at the laptop's screen.

"I don't know. Ask Iris to clarify," he replied.

ORIGIN OF MESSAGE: WATCH 1

MESSAGE: _ _ _ __ __ __ _ _ _

ACCESSING LOCATION NOW

"Jonny is sending us a message! That's Morse code!" Jessie quickly slipped out of the chair to allow Dr. Quest a seat. "SOS. He's using Iris to tell us where he is." Dr. Quest accessed the three dimensional map that would show the origin of the SOS message.

"There!" Jessie exclaimed, reading the information that was scrolling across the screen. "He's still in Minneapolis. Himmel Street and 71st Street." She jumped up and roused her father who was sleeping in the room next door. He came running to the computer.

"What's at that address?" Race demanded. Dr. Quest typed in some commands, and more text began to scroll across the screen.

"A warehouse," Dr. Quest said. "It belongs to CPH Corporation." The three exchanged looks.

"Who are they?" Jessie asked.

"I don't believe I've heard of them before," Dr. Quest said. "It could be a local corporation."

"What do they have to do with Hovand Industries?" Jessie wondered aloud.

"Perhaps nothing," Dr. Quest answered. "CPH may have rented the warehouse to another company for use. I could find out."

"No, go get some sleep," Race ordered both his employer and his daughter. "I have arrangements to make. We leave at dawn." Neither Jessie nor Dr. Quest questioned him and they headed for bed and what little sleep they might get, Dr. Quest stopping in to wake Hadji and let him know what they'd just found.

*JQJQJQJQ*

Jonny and Maggie sat on one of the bunks watching the communicator watch blink green as it sent the SOS message repeatedly. They wouldn't know when he got the message, _if_ he got the message. 

"We better stop for tonight," Jonny said softly. "We don't want to kill the batteries before my dad gets the chance to see the message. We'll try again tomorrow."

"What'll we do if they don't see?" Maggie whispered.

"We stick together and hope Dad heard us," was all that Jonny said.

*JQJQJQJQ*

The next morning, Dr. Quest, Race, Jessie, and Hadji were up and gone before dawn. Driving a rental van to the address Iris had indicated, they stopped in a dingy looking section of the city so Race could take care of some errand. The ordinary black backpack he came back with explained the stop. He wasn't going in unprepared. Everyone was silent and solemn as they moved on, winding their way through the city. Even Bandit sat sadly on Hadji's lap, lonely for Jonny.

"Himmel and 71st," Race stated as they came upon their destination. He drove past and parked more than a block up from the warehouse to avoid alerting the place to their presence. Piling out of the van quickly, they slipped into the shadows along another warehouse wall where they took in their surroundings. This area of the warehouse district was located away from the main flow of human activity. They were careful and alert as they worked their way from building to building without being seen until they came to the distribution center for Hovand Industries at Himmel and 71st.

"Hovand again," Race muttered. "That guy has more skeletons in his closet than I'd like to count."

"And one of them is my son," commented Dr. Quest. 

"CPH," Jessie said. "Connor P. Hovand Corporation." Dr. Quest and Race looked at her quizzically.

"How do you know the middle initial is P?" Race asked.

"Price," Hadji answered for Jessie. "Price goes by his middle name, as he is named after his father."

"It looks like we were right," Race said. "Hovand is our man." They looked to one another grimly. "Now, to find a way in…"

*JQJQJQJQ*

Without Jonny's watch, they wouldn't know whether it was night or day. As the hour had grown late in the night, they had each taken a bunk and tried to sleep. What little sleep they did get was anything but restful. When Jonny decided to get up he automatically checked his watch.

"Ten forty-seven!" he exclaimed.

"What?" Maggie said groggily, roused by his shout.

"It's almost eleven o'clock in the morning!" Jonny reiterated. "We should have sent the second signal by eight."

"I told you to set the alarm last-"

"Shh," Jonny hissed, cutting her off. "Someone's coming." Maggie held her breath as they listened to the creaking door open and close, followed by approaching footsteps. At least three people were walking toward their cell. It was hard to judge as the sounds echoed off the cement walls in funny patterns.

"Jonny," she whispered nervously as the door to their cell was unlocked and opened. Three men appeared, along with someone who surprised both Jonny and Maggie. It was Miss Trencher, Mr. Hovand's secretary.

"Miss Hardy, Mr. Quest, how nice to see you again," she said cordially. "Your presence has been requested in the peach room. If you will accompany me please."

"Why should we?" demanded Jonny insolently.

"You will be going one way or another. We thought it more pleasant this way. If you prefer more drastic measures, that can be arranged," the secretary said.

"Let's follow Miss Trencher, Jonny," Maggie said. "I don't want to find out what the 'drastic measures' are."

"She's smart," Amelia Trencher said. "You might do well to listen to her, young man." Jonny grudgingly followed Miss Trencher, Maggie walking beside him, and the three goons fell into step behind them.

First, they were led down a corridor lined with cells identical to the one they had been held in. Beyond those, they followed a wider hallway with other, smaller cell blocks branching off of it. They were led up a set of stairs and along a short corridor. From there, they walked into the huge main room of the warehouse, and followed a pathway along the main working floor. The place was deserted. Not a soul could be seen save the five people walking through the center of it. They passed through a doorway on the other side of the warehouse to an office area.

Both Jonny and Maggie had been carefully observing their surroundings. They had noticed one important thing. "No windows," Jonny whispered.

"I know," Maggie breathed. They were quickly silenced and then they were led into a large room painted and decorated in shades of peach and orange. The Peach Room. No one was inside. Miss Trencher motioned them in.

"Both of you sit down," Miss Trencher instructed. "They will be with you presently. I advise you not to try anything funny. The door is guarded and there is no other way out." She turned and left them alone. 

"Who are 'they'?" Maggie asked. Jonny just shrugged. At a loss for what else to do, they found a small sofa and sat down next to each other to wait.

First entered Miss Trencher with two guards. Following them were several men and women in suits. Neither Maggie nor Jonny recognized any of them. The assembly sat down in the circle of chairs, except the guards who stood along a wall. 

"Well, everyone, welcome," said a familiar voice as a figure entered the room. "I am glad that you all made it. It seems that we all have something to celebrate. But first I'd like to have some others present." Jonny and Maggie glared at him. It was no surprise to them to see Connor Hovand III.

"What's going on here?" Maggie demanded.

"Patience my dear," Mr. Hovand said pleasantly. He disappeared from the room, then reentered, followed by more guards guiding two bound, gagged and blindfolded young men.

"Price!" Maggie exclaimed as the blindfolds and gags were removed.

"Maggie!" he said with relief. "Are you all right? They didn't hurt you did they?" She shook her head no. Price looked around and started when he saw the other young man next to him. "Devin! How did you get here?" Maggie and Jonny both looked up at the other young man in surprise. He was shorter than Price, by two inches at least, but was just as lean. He had dark blond hair, and slate blue eyes.

"Ask him," Devin replied glaring directly at Mr. Hovand.

"Father?!" Price was shocked when he turned to look. "What's going on here?"

"You, my son, are going to learn a valuable lesson here today." He turned toward the guards still holding his sons. "Come, now, let's be civilized. Untie them." Two of Hovand's thugs did so, then pushed the young men down into a low couch.

"Now, then, shall we get down to business?" Mr. Hovand asked.

"Oh, Please do," Maggie said sarcastically. Jonny gave her a sideways glance, and Devin seemed to notice her for the first time. He stared at her, studying her. Maggie felt their eyes on her, as well as Price's and Mr. Hovand's and was beginning to feel uncomfortable under their close scrutiny.

"No need for that kind of attitude, Miss Hardy," Mr. Hovand reprimanded. Maggie scowled at him. 

"Miss Hardy!" Devin exclaimed. "Maggie?" Connor Hovand silenced him with a glaring look, and Maggie's scowl turned to surprise. How could he have known her name? She'd never met him. A glance to Jonny confirmed he was wondering the same thing.

"As I was saying, lets get down to business." Connor turned to the suits to address them. "As you are all aware, we have finally located and acquired Miss Maggie Hardy. Unfortunately, she had to go and get the uncle and cousin involved. They, in turn, got three others involved, Mr. Bannon and his charming daughter Jessica, and a young man, Hadji Singh. We have been able to secure the cousin, Mr. Jonny Quest here, but the others have yet to be retained."

"You knew all along?!" Maggie interrupted in anger.

"Yes, my dear. I am ashamed to say that I led you to believe otherwise. One must do what one must to ensure things turn out in one's favor." Connor Hovand III looked at her coolly. "What an amusing game we played at dinner last night. Tell me, was that intern story a collaboration, or spur of the moment?" Maggie could barely contain her anger. "I have more good news to relay to you," Mr. Hovand said to the suits. "After we obtained Miss Hardy, we were able to convince Laura Franklin to tell us where the documents were hidden. We have a man retrieving them as we speak." The people in suits became excited and began whispering to themselves.

"Once we got our information," Mr. Hovand continued, "We terminated Laura Franklin. She was no longer useful to us."

"You what?" Maggie shouted in disbelief. "What did you do to my mother?" Mr. Hovand turned to her in exasperation.

"We have eliminated her. She no longer poses a threat to our little organization," Mr. Hovand said coolly. Maggie's eyes began to tear up. "No need to cry, now," Mr. Hovand said to her with mock sincerity. "You will be joining her shortly."

"Stop it, Father," Price said angrily. "Whatever you've been doing, stop it right now." Mr. Hovand turned to his son.

"This isn't personal, Price," Hovand said. "This is business. Business can be ruthless at times. You have to learn to play the game. Watch carefully. This kind of responsibility will be yours one day."

"I don't want this kind of responsibility. Hurting other people is not my idea of a rewarding career." Price leveled a determined gaze on his father. "I want you to stop hurting Maggie and her family right now. I think you've done enough to them."

"Son, you are being too soft hearted. You take after your mother far too much. She wouldn't give that baby up years ago. Now she'll suffer a broken heart when I tell her that her darling Devin has had an unfortunate accident." He turned to Devin, "You just had to go snooping around and find out about your birth parents. You couldn't be content being my son. My wife didn't know it, but she spared your life then. You wasted the chance she gave you because you weren't satisfied with what you had."

"Hold on," said Jonny. "You lost me there. What does Devin have to do with any of this?"

"I'm Laura and Jack Hardy's son," Devin said. "Maggie is my twin sister."

"Matthew!" she breathed remembering the name in the letter from the envelope. "Twin?" She rose from her seat in shock, and was promptly pounced upon by one of the burly thugs. "Get off of me!" Maggie shouted as she suddenly found herself pinned to the ground.

"She said get off!" Jonny shouted, jumping up and trying to pull the guard off of her. The man let out a howl as Jonny grabbed his arm and twisted it behind his back, pulling him up far enough for Maggie to roll free. The second guard jumped into action and made a grab for Jonny. Price and Devin jumped up and stopped him from reaching Jonny and Maggie.

"Matthew," Maggie reached a hand out to him just as two strong hands clamped down onto her other arm. Several uniformed men came through the room's only door, and in a moment they had Price, Devin, Jonny, and Maggie surrounded. In the rush, Devin tried to grab hold of Maggie's hand, but their fingers barely brushed against each other before they were pulled apart.

"Enough!" shouted Mr. Hovand. "Take my son and the others and lock them up. They are distracting us. I'll take care of them later." The guards obeyed, filing from the room, hauling their four charges with them. 

"I had intended to let you all in on this little meeting," Hovand told them as they were hauled away. "Too bad you couldn't behave yourselves." Maggie was the last to leave. Hovand stopped her keeper before he left. "She cried, you know," he said. "She cried while begging me to spare your life, and that good-for-nothing boy. You'll cry, too. You'll cry and beg for my mercy. I won't give you any." He waved to the guard and he dragged Maggie through the door as she stared horrified over her shoulder at the sneering glare of Connor Hovand.

Maggie was in a daze at first. She couldn't believe that man's cruelty. Moving slowly along, she was nearly in tears, but the urge to cry suddenly vanished when she heard someone say her name softly. She looked to both sides, but saw no one. She became nervous, knowing her guard had not said anything.

"Maggie," came the voice again. This time, looking ahead of her, she saw a hand stretched out between two bars in a cell door. "Maggie."

"Hush up now, Jack," said Maggie's guard. "Not another peep from you."

"Jack?" Maggie repeated to herself. "Dad?" she asked aloud. The hand reached out and grabbed the guard as he and Maggie passed.

"Let me see my daughter," ordered the man in the cell with a hoarse, but forceful voice.

"Dad!" Maggie called out to him. She saw him through the bars. Despite his shaggy, graying hair and gaunt features, he looked remarkably like Devin. There was no mistaking this man's identity.

"Let me see my baby," Jack Hardy said, struggling to hold onto the guard. Maggie ground the heel of her shoe into the man's foot, and elbowed him hard in the stomach. He let go of her, and she kneed him in the groin. With a shove she had him against the wall behind him, and he fell to the floor after a quick kick to the shins.

"Maggie," Jack said, "Baby, where did you learn how to do that?" 

"Oh, Dad," she said in tears. Jumping up she grabbed his outstretched hand and she held onto it, not wanting to let go. "Mom made me take self defense." They both laughed at that for some odd reason. 

"Baby," Jack said urgently, "See if that guard has a set of keys. See if you can get me out of here."

"Okay," she said. She quickly relieved the guard of his keys. "Dad, Mom is dead," Maggie said, her eyes refilling with tears as she fumbled with the keys at the lock. "They killed her last night."

"I know, baby," he said sadly. "They made me watch."

Maggie looked up at him through the bars of the window. She could see the terror and devastation in his eyes. She couldn't stand to look at them and looked back at the lock. It finally clicked open. The door swung outward, and her father stepped out. He took her in his arms and held her tight, like a parent might hold and cuddle a toddler.

"I have been waiting 20 years to hold you," he said to her. "20 long, long years."

"Oh, Dad," Maggie whispered. He finally pulled away. 

"We have to go and get your brother and your friends." Maggie nodded and they started off down the corridor. Jack stopped to pick up a gun from the guard. "I have to be prepared," he told his daughter. "I'm not loosing you again. And I won't let them keep this family apart any longer."

*JQJQJQJQ*


	6. Escape

Disclaimer:

All characters affiliated with JQ: TRA are owned by Hanna Barbara. No infringement of copyrights are intended. This is a work of fiction written by a fan for other fans' enjoyment. No money was made off of this fic.

Warnings:

Overall Rating of PG. Contains mild language, and some mature themes, and mild violence. (Honestly, there isn't anything worse than what you might find in a Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys mystery.)

A Note from the Author:

Can't you just smell a sequel coming on? Doesn't this just reek of an inexperienced writer? I almost laugh when I read over some of this stuff. Ah, well. It's nothing to be ashamed of. Everyone has to start somewhere, and this really isn't that bad. Reviews welcome, flames get hosed.

The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest

Industry of Intrigue

By: Sapphire (SapphireWings)

Chapter Six: Escape

Location: Quest Compound, Maine

Jonny was struggling against the man restraining him. He was sure Maggie wasn't behind them anymore. They had promised each other they'd stick together. He had to find her, because if he didn't, he knew something terrible would happen to her.

"Stop it you little punk," the guard ordered meanly. Jonny kicked him in the shins in response. "Hey!" the guard bellowed. Jonny didn't stop there. Race had taught him how to protect himself very well.

The guards who held Price and Devin turned to see what the commotion was all about. Jonny was giving their comrade a sound beating. Devin managed to pull free of his captor, but Price's opened a broom closet and shoved him into it before he could escape, locking it once it was closed.

"Hey!" Price yelled from inside, "Let me out!" With the odds now at three to two, Devin was quickly pinned to the ground against a concrete wall, and Jonny was pulled off his guard by another. Jonny's guard delivered a few kicks in retribution, subduing him. It was a simple task after that for the three guards to throw both Jonny and Devin into separate cells in a nearby cell block.

As soon as the three guards headed off to report to their boss Jonny and Devin approached their respective cell doors and peered out into the corridor. Jonny noted the windows in this cell block were much larger than the cell he'd previously inhabited, but the bars were closer together. He couldn't have gotten his hand through, unless they had been skin and bone, which they were not.

"Hey, Jonny," Devin cautiously called. They could see each other across the way from their windows. "What happened to Maggie?"

"I don't know. That's what got the fight started." Jonny shook his head in discouragement. "I don't know how I'm going to find her when I'm stuck in here. If they separated her from us…that can't be good." Devin nodded solemnly. "We've gotta get out of here and find her."

"I've been trying to think of a way out for day," Devin said frankly. "I don't think there is a way."

*JQJQJQJQ*

Race Bannon circled the Hovand Industries Warehouse Building to scout out possible ways in. He had split the team in two; himself and Hadji, and Dr. Quest and Jessie. suggested they split up. Bandit had chosen to follow close behind Hadji. Race didn't mind the bull-terrier's company. That dog knew when to keep quiet and when to raise hell. So far he had only been interested in sniffing around the building along the wall.

Suddenly Bandit bounded ahead, racing around the back corner of the building. Race and Hadji followed cautiously, but only found Dr. Quest and Jessie when they peered wearily around the corner. Quickly joining them, it was clear no one had had any real luck. Bandit whined, sensing their discouragement.

"The only possibility I could see would be a vent of some kind. It's pretty small, a tight squeeze, and no telling where it could end up," Race finally said.

"We didn't see anything on our side," Benton said.

"No vents, no doors," Jessie agreed.

"The vent it is," Race decided pessimistically.

*JQJQJQJQ*

Jack Hardy silently approached the corner, cautious of what may be around it. He kept his daughter close behind him, not wanting to risk loosing her so soon after getting her back. Maggie had fallen into a state of shocked disbelief, a delayed reaction to discovering her father. She simply followed where he led, marveling that she was holding the hand of the man that had helped to give her life. He was alive.

Jack slowly peered around the corner, but all he saw was an empty passageway. The pair rounded the corner together and noiselessly progressed along the hall. As they passed by a closed door they heard an odd thud, like something, or someone, was moving behind it.

"Is someone in there?" Maggie cautiously whispered.

"Maggie? Is that you?" came a muffled but familiar voice. "It's me, Price. I'm locked in."

"Hold on, I'll get you out." She took the ring of keys she still held, and started fitting them into the lock. Finally one turned. "Price!" she said when he emerged, glad to see him unharmed. He gave her a hug, but quickly released her when he saw the grizzled man behind her watching him intently.

"Who is that?" Price asked.

"My father," she answered a bit breathlessly. It was hard to believe even now. "Price?" she peered into the tiny broom closet. "What happened to Jonny and Devin?"

"I wish I knew," was all Price could say.

*JQJQJQJQ*

Race managed to get the vent cover off by undoing the screws with a thin shard of metal he'd found on the ground. The opening was quite small, they would have to carefully squeeze through it, but the duct beyond was about three feet by three feet. plenty of room to crawl in. Race tentatively tested the bottom of the vent to see if it would hold his weight. "Let's go in," he said with a satisfied expression. 

The bottom seemed quite safe; it didn't even indent when Race put his weight on it. It didn't give any when Jessie, then Hadji holding Bandit, followed lastly by Benton added their weight to Race's. Slowly and carefully they crawled their way through the vent. It grew darker and darker as they got farther from the entrance.

"Anybody have a flashlight?" Jessie asked in a whisper. "I can't even see my hand in front of my face anymore."

"Never fear," Hadji replied, "I will shed some light on this situation." In a few moments, a dim glow filled the vent tunnel. "I took the liberty of borrowing one of Dr. Quest's experimental glow rods."

"No time like the present to put them to the test," Benton quipped. Hadji passed the glow rod up to Race who headed the line. 

"Much better," Race mumbled. They followed the vent for a long time, until finally, they came to a fork. "Right or left?" Race asked.

"Left," came a chorus of quiet voices.

"Left it is," Race said turning in that direction. The tunnel took a sharp turn, and suddenly, there was another vent cover in front of them with light coming through. "Hold up," Race ordered. He passed the glow rod back to Benton so no one on the other side of the vent might chance to see it. Then Race moved forward to peer through the thin slats in the grate and see where they were.

It appeared the vent came out in a large room, the warehouse floor. He could see the ceiling far overhead. In front of the grate was a huge stack of crates and shipping boxes. Nothing else was visible, and he could hear nothing but the air in the circulation system. The spot appeared to be an excellent place to exit the vent.

"Cross your fingers," Race said. "I'm going to see if this tin lid will open." This grate, unlike the first, was just as large as the duct- three feet by three feet. An easy exit. Race grasped it tightly in his hands, and pressed against the cover. Amazingly, it came loose. It wasn't screwed on like he had feared. Race set the grate on the ground as quietly as possible and they all climbed out of the duct.

"Where do you suppose they put Jonny and Maggie," Jessie asked looking around the huge room from behind the boxes.

"There are two doors," Hadji said from atop a crate. "One on either side of the main floor."

"We should split up," Jessie said. "Two go one way, two the other. We can cover more ground that way."

"It's too dangerous to split up-" Race began.

"It would mean less time spent in this place," Hadji pointed out.

"And it makes the most sense," Dr. Quest put in. Race sighed.

"Alright, we'll split up," he relented.

"Shhh!" Hadji hissed. "Someone is coming." He ducked down behind the crates and boxes as several people were heard entering the warehouse work floor. They were talking as they went, and the Quest Team listened intently, trying to hear what they said.

"Hovand will be mad his kid is in the broom closet," one man said to the others.

"Yeah, but at least he's out of the way. Can't cause trouble," said a second.

"Wonder what happened to Lenny and the chick?" a third, much younger sounding man said.

"Lenny can handle her," the first man said. After that, they were too far away for the Quest Team to hear. When they were gone, Dr. Quest spoke up.

"They came from that direction," Dr. Quest pointed to the right. "It sounds as though they just came from wherever they took Jonny, Maggie, and Price." Race sighed with relief. Now there was no reason for them to split up.

"We all go that way, then," he said. There was no opposition as the four of them and Bandit headed toward the door on the far end of the warehouse floor. Once through the door, the group quickly slipped down a corridor to a set of stairs. At the bottom they took a second hallway, following it a good distance to a bend. Everyone rounded the corner, and stopped short, nearly running into one another. A groaning man was getting up off the floor.

"Hey!" he shouted the moment he spied them, "What the-?" Race rushed him, and within seconds he was out cold on the floor.

"I wonder what happened to him?" Jessie asked.

"Good question, but I don't want to hang around to find out," her father answered. Race motioned the others to follow him onward down the corridor.

*JQJQJQJQ*

Jack Hardy led the two young people down twisting and turning corridors. He didn't want to take the usual avenues; by taking the back routes, they could avoid any encounters with the guards. It was definitely longer, Jack knew, but it was less likely they would be found and recaptured.

"Are you sure you know where they were taken?" Price asked. "This place is a catacomb of cell blocks."

"I'm sure," Jack said. "It's not much farther up ahead. Quiet now, in case the guards are still hanging around."

Maggie kept her hand tucked in her father's. With her other hand, she clutched tightly to Price's hand, so they wouldn't loose him. He followed close behind her, carrying her shoes which she had removed to eliminate the clicking noise they made on the cement floors.

Jack stopped at the next corner, and they all stood flat against the wall, completely out of sight. Jack tentatively leaned over and peered around the corner. Everything was clear.

*JQJQJQJQ*

The Quest Team followed the maze of corridors, avoiding people as they searched for Jonny and Maggie. None of them were even sure they would find Price with them. Price was Hovand's son. To Race, that constituted being in league with the enemy, unless proven otherwise. Jonny and Maggie, though, had to be rescued.

"I think we've found another cell block," Race whispered to those that followed him. He was flat against the wall, getting ready to peer around yet another corner. The others waited silently as he gave a look to the corridor around the corner. Race fell back against the wall and gave them the thumbs up signal.

*JQJQJQJQ*

Connor Hovand III looked up irritably as his conversation with Miss Trencher was interrupted. He gave the burly hired muscle a cool glare.

"I'm sorry to disturb you, Sir," the guard said. "We have a slight situation."

"What now?" Mr. Hovand snapped with annoyance.

"A patrol reported an open vent on the outside of the building. They think we have intruders. And the girl, sir. She got away. The old man got out to. Lenny got himself licked by the girl. When we found him, he said some guy with three others licked 'im again. He said one was a read head girl."

"A guy and a red headed girl? Quest and his annoying people are here?" Mr. Hovand stood up quickly at the guard's affirmative nod. "Amelia," he said to Miss Trencher, "Get those lazy, good for nothing security people to block all the exits and patrol the base. I need a team to accompany me to the cell block. That's where we'll find Quest and that's where we'll find Hardy."

*JQJQJQJQ*

Jonny and Devin had been quiet for a long time. At first they had waited, thinking Maggie would eventually be brought to a cell near them. They thought that Price, at least, would be retrieved from the broom closet. Neither had materialized, and Jonny and Devin wondered if they hadn't been sent to some other fate. Price's fate wasn't so much a worry. He was Hovand's biological son and heir. But Maggie…they wondered what had happened to her, and imagination provided plenty of horrific scenarios.

"Hey, Jonny," Devin said.

"Yeah?" came the reply.

"What do you suppose happened to Maggie?" He had asked before, but asking again sure beat letting his imagination run wild.

"Beats me," Jonny replied, again. "I hope she's alright." 

"Me, too," Devin said. They fell quiet again. "Jonny," Devin called softly in the same low tones as before.

"Yeah?" Jonny replied.

"How do you know my sister? Connor said something about a cousin…"

"Yeah," Jonny replied. "My dad is her mom's half brother." There was a moment of silence. "I guess that makes you my cousin, too."

"Yeah, I guess it does," Devin responded. They were silent again. Preoccupation didn't breed good conversation. Excited barking suddenly filled the cell block, echoing off the concrete walls, amplifying the sound. Devin jumped up to look through his window, and could see Jonny standing at his own. 

"Bandit!" Jonny exclaimed as a little black and white moving object came tearing down the hall.

"Jonny!" came excited shouts from both ends of the cell block corridor. Suddenly everyone froze, including the dog. Three people stood at one end, and four at the other.

"What the Sam Hill are you doing there?" Race exclaimed, gawking at Maggie, Price, and the stranger with them.

"Dr. Quest!" Maggie exclaimed, ignoring Race's comment. "How did you get here?"

"We came to get you out," he answered, just as much amazed as she.

"Dad!" Jonny called. "Am I glad to see you." Benton looked to the cell window that Jonny was peering out of.

"Jonny, are you all right?" Dr. Quest asked.

"Fine, pop," Jonny replied. As he spoke, the strange, bedraggled man hurried up to the cell door, keys dangling from his hand. "Who're you?" Jonny asked.

Jack Hardy wasted no time with pleasantries. He immediately started trying keys in the lock. Jonny looked up and caught Maggie's eye. She smiled wanly.

"He's my dad," she said. "No tricks this time." That got a few awed stares.

"Devin, are you in here?" Price asked, looking around the block.

"Right here," Devin answered, sticking his fingers through the barred window.

"How did you get away, Maggie?" Jonny asked while Jack still systematically tried key after key.

"I decided to give the guard a little taste of his own medicine," Maggie replied with a nervous giggle.

"So you would be responsible for the unconscious guard," Hadji deduced, coming out of his amazed shock.

"Yeah," Maggie said, glancing at Jack. "Me, and my dad." The Quest Team turned to look and the tall, gaunt, and grizzled man once again as he finally succeeded in locating the correct key for the cell doors.

Jonny bounded out of his cell, rejoicing in his regained freedom. Jack immediately went to the next cell, and quickly let out Devin. The first thing Devin did when he was free was take hold of Maggie's hand and pull her into a hug. When he let go of her, Jack was standing in front of them with a smile on his face, the first in many years to be sure. Both Maggie and Devin reached out to him and pulled him into a family hug, reunited at last. The moment was bittersweet, Laura was not there, nor could she be again.

"I hate to break up this touching reunion," said a voice from behind the Quest Team, "but I'm afraid I have some unfinished business to attend to." Everyone looked to see Connor Hovand standing at one end of the corridor with a small army of guards around him. Bandit started to growl menacingly. Jonny scooped him up off the ground before the little dog could get into trouble.

"Father," Price said, barely managing to contain his anger. Connor Hovand ignored his son.

"Men, capture all of them." His order was immediately acted upon.

"Move it, everyone!" Race commanded. All nine of them turned and fled. Jack kept up, but not for long. Years of inactivity, sitting in a cell day after day, had taken a toll on his physical abilities. Maggie watched as her father dropped farther and farther back, until he was behind her.

"Dad!" she called with worry, and turned to help him.

"Keep going, Maggie!" Benton called to her. "Race has him!" Maggie put her faith in Race Bannon to take care of her father, and she raced ahead to catch up with Devin, Jonny, Jessie, and Price.

Race literally picked Jack Hardy up off the ground to carry him on his back as he ran. He was shocked at how light the man was. Race figured Jack weighed less than Jessie, and she was lighter than any of the rest of them. As he ran, he could feel some of Jack's ribs press into his back. Jack hadn't appeared so thin at first glance, his over-sized clothes gave a false impression, but now Race could tell he was little more than a ragged skeleton.

They ran down corridors and passageways, following Devin, who was trying his best to lead them to the main floor of the warehouse. He had an idea forming in his mind, a plan of escape, but he had to work it just right.

*JQJQJQJQ*

Connor Hovand knew where they were headed and took the short route to the main floor. He wasn't going to break a sweat over those stupid, headache-causing nuisances. Reaching the main warehouse floor well ahead of anyone else, he climbed up a metal stairway to the foreman's office. From there he had a direct view of the entire floor. He fully intended to sit back and enjoy the show.

*JQJQJQJQ*

Devin felt relieved when he saw the stairway that led up to the main level and the warehouse floor. The entire group bounded up the steps, followed closely by the horde of security men trailing them. Devin took cover among the crates and packing boxes along the wall, and everyone else joined him. Benton and Race were glad to see they ended up in the very place they had come in. The vent was on the wall behind them.

Race set Jack down on the floor against a crate, and Maggie knelt beside him, checking to make sure he was okay. She didn't have the chance to say anything when the gunshots began to ring through the warehouse. Jack pushed his daughter away and pulled the gun he'd taken and held it up to Benton. Race pulled his own weapon from a holster on his shoulder. It had come out of the black backpack he'd picked up early that morning. With two guns, they would at least be able to hold off the enemy until they could make their escape. Race peered over a crate and fired off a few return shots. A scream indicated he'd hit at least one man.

"They screwed the grate back on," Jessie said dismally as she tried to pry it off the opening in the wall. Jonny knelt beside her and pulled with her, but it had been securely attached.

"They must have found our entrance," Benton said. "Does anyone have something that might act as a screwdriver?" Jack answered by digging through his pockets again. He pulled out the set of keys he had used to unlock the cell doors. Jessie took them and began going through them one by one to see if any were thin enough to act as a screwdriver. After she found a key that fit into the slot on the head of the screw, it took only a few forced turns to loosen it.

"Good work, Jessie," Hadji cheered.

"Someone twist out the screws by hand once Jessie loosens them. It will go quicker," Dr. Quest said. Maggie crawled over and stood on her knees beside Jessie. She started twisting the screw Jessie had just loosened. All they could do now was work or wait.

While they worked on the grate, and Dr. Quest and Race kept the guards occupied, Devin was taking his idea and turning it into a workable plan. He had explored the warehouse when he'd first arrived, before anyone knew he was there. When he did he discovered the crates and packing boxes on the main floor contained explosives, among other things, and he knew how to set them off. With the Quest Team's discovery of the vent, they had their ticket out.

"What are you up to?" Price asked as he watched Devin pull things from the packing boxes.

"I'm going to set off these explosives," Devin told him pointing to the detonator switch he had just uncovered in the box. Hadji and Jonny crowded in, ready to get a piece of the action.

"Slammin!" Jonny said.

"Explosives would explain why they aren't firing at us," Race said absently. "I was wondering why they were shooting over our heads."

"I'm surprised we didn't notice these explosives before," Benton said shaking his head.

"How do you know how to use this stuff?" Price asked Devin as his adopted brother carefully prepared the charges.

"Remember my trip to Guatemala?" Price nodded. "They were using this stuff to blast rock for a highway to connect both sides of the mountains. I was helping clear away the rubble from the blasts, and I picked up a few things. Okay, it's ready now. Let's go set them."

"Hey, Race," Jonny said. "Do you think you can distract them while we rig up the explosives?"

"No problem," Race replied. He took a few shots as the four boys stealthily moved out to plant the explosives. 

Jonny and Devin slid across the smooth cement floor army style, carefully making their way to the center walkway of the main warehouse floor. Once there, Jonny helped Devin slip the little charges of explosives into an open crack in the floor. Devin attached the detonator, and set the switch. Hadji, who had been told how to set the charges, took Price with him. They set theirs in another crack that was located several feet off the main walkway. It would be the secondary explosion. By the time they got back, Jessie and Maggie had nearly finished removing the screws. There were only two left, and they rushed to get them out.

*JQJQJQJQ*


	7. Ends and Beginnings

Disclaimer:

All characters affiliated with JQ: TRA are owned by Hanna Barbara. No infringement of copyrights are intended. This is a work of fiction written by a fan for other fans' enjoyment. No money was made off of this fic.

Warnings:

Overall Rating of PG. Contains mild language, and some mature themes, and mild violence. (Honestly, there isn't anything worse than what you might find in a Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys mystery.)

A Note from the Author:

Well, this chapter will wrap up "Industry of Intrigue" for those of you following along. I sincerely hope I'm writing to more people than just my sister. (She's an avid reader of mine, and as far as I know, the only steady one I've got… O_O ) Anyway, as hinted in the last Author's Note, there is a sequel up and coming. I'll have it all spiffed up for you in a month or so. Look for "Back from the Dead" in October 2003. Thanks for reading!

The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest

Industry of Intrigue

By: Sapphire (SapphireWings)

Chapter Seven: Ends and Beginnings

Location: Quest Compound, Maine

Connor Hovand watched the boys as they slipped out to the walkway. He slammed his fist down hard onto the arm of his chair when he realized what they were up to. They weren't supposed to use his own weapons against him. He jumped from his seat running and flew out of the office and down the metal stairs.

"You idiots!" he roared. "They're setting my explosives! Get them now or we are finished!" The contingent of guards moved out. As the first men emerged from their cover, two were hit by opposing bullets, and the rest dove back for cover. Mr. Hovand was irate. What cowards his men were turning out to be.

"Idiots!" he shouted at them. "Didn't you hear me? They have explosives! They will use them if you don't get out there and stop them!" The horde of security personnel, which had grown with the arrival of reinforcements, charged at the refugees behind the crates.

*JQJQJQJQ*

"Got it!" Maggie chortled as the last screw came out of the vent. She and Jessie hurriedly removed the cover. Hadji hurried forward and climbed in with the glow rod and just enough explosives to blow away the other vent cover in case it, too, was replaced tightly over the vent opening. Benton was the next to duck into the opening, and he helped Jack through the tunnel after Maggie and Price handed Jack in to him. Bandit was sent into the duct next.

"They're coming!" Jonny gave the warning, "masses of them!" Devin poked his head above the crates and watched them come. He watched carefully as the mass approached the spot where he and Jonny had planted the first set of explosives. Jessie manned the detonators.

"Now!" Devin shouted to Jessie as the mass came upon the first set of explosives. The group ducked down as Jessie threw the switch. A deafening explosion filled the warehouse, it's reverberating echo just as bad as the initial sound. The building shuddered as if an earthquake had hit. Devin and Jonny were thrown back toward the wall a few feet, but Jessie managed to stay where she was next to the switch. Everyone else dropped to the floor.

Large cracks began to spread along the smooth cement floor of the warehouse. It reminded Maggie of the way cracks spread on a pond in early spring as the ice broke up. They all stood to see what damage had been done, and if Hovand's men were still coming.

"Why do you think I pay you?" Mr. Hovand could be clearly heard screaming. "Get them! Now!" They watched as the other men charged.

"Jessie! Throw the other switch!" Jonny yelled. Everyone ducked as the second explosion was set off. This time, the warehouse building didn't seem to stop it's shaking.

"We set too big of a charge," Devin said in an urgent tone. "The whole place is going to come crashing down!" As if on cue, the web-like cracks began to spread in the floor, and a large mid-section of the floor fell away into the underground levels as an enormous ceiling lamp came crashing down on top of it. All of them watched it cave in, mesmerized, and then another section began to fall away. As it crashed down, another section separated from the rest of the floor. Sections were crashing down all around the edge of the hole. Hovand's men scattered, shouting about escaping the warehouse.

When another section fell away, it took a piece of floor with it that extended right under Jessie's feet. "Jessie!" Jonny and Race yelled as she started to drop out of sight with a scream. Devin and Jonny lunged for her, and each caught one of her arms. They saved her from her fall, and easily pulled her up onto the floor.

"Thanks, guys," Jessie said recovering quickly from her narrow escape. "Let's get out of here." Her words were punctuated by another large light falling not too far from them. The others complied. When another section of floor began to separate nearby, Price pushed Maggie down on her hands and knees and into the duct. He ducked in right after her. He looked back to see Jessie, Jonny, and Devin right behind him. They hurried down the dark tunnel toward the outer vent. Race came last, bringing up the rear.

*JQJQJQJQ*

Hadji and Dr. Quest had managed to blast open the vent, and get Jack Hardy through the small opening, no thanks to Bandit who wouldn't stop barking at their feet. They wondered what could be taking the others so long, and were worried after they had heard both explosions go off. They were relieved when they peered into the tunnel and saw Maggie coming toward them. Price was right behind.

"Hurry," Maggie called to them, "Help me out." She carefully, but quickly, started head first out the vent opening. Benton held onto her as he pulled her the rest of the way out. As soon as she was through, Price came feet first. He and Dr. Quest helped Jessie, then Jonny, then Devin, and lastly Race from the little opening while Maggie and Hadji walked with Jack between them toward the van that was parked a block away.

Once everyone else was clear of the duct, and all were accounted for, they took off running for the van, easily catching up to Maggie, Hadji, and Jack. Nearing the distant street, the group stopped dead in their tracks when they heard a deafening crack. Spinning around, they watched as the warehouse fell apart and collapsed, as if in slow motion.

Billowing clouds of dust and debris were filling the air, and the escapee's could hear the first faint sound of the authorities' sirens. There was a collective sigh of relief.

"Looks like it's all over, kids," Race said with finality.

*JQJQJQJQ*

Once the authorities arrived, the whole area was suddenly swarming with police, fire fighters, paramedics, and other emergency personnel. Even the fed's and the CIA showed up. Maggie, Devin, Jonny, and Price watched with satisfaction as Amelia Trencher and the other people in suits were taken away in handcuffs. Most of the building's security people were also led away by police. The unlucky few were taken from the scene in body bags. They were surprised that there hadn't been more casualties.

The Quests, Maggie, Price, Devin, and Jack were questioned along with anyone else on the scene, and Dr. Quest disclosed information about the documents they had discovered in Laura Hardy's secret hiding place. He told the CIA agents he suspected they contained valuable evidence against Connor Hovand and Hovand Industries. He told them exactly where to find it, and they went after it right away, assuring Dr. Quest that everything would be taken care of.

In the midst of all that activity, paramedics had loaded Jack Hardy into an ambulance and taken him to a local hospital. Maggie and Devin had been allowed to accompany him to the hospital by the officer in charge at the scene.

When the Quest Team arrived in the emergency waiting room, they found Devin and Maggie sitting on a bench along a wall. Maggie was crying into Devin's shoulder, and Devin had a comforting arm draped over her shoulders. Jonny and Dr. Quest slowly approached the two. Price hesitated a moment, but decided to include himself in the family, as he was Devin's adopted brother. The others hung back a little.

"What's wrong?" Jonny asked. He sat down on the opposite side of Maggie.

"Dr. Stevens said Jack won't make it- said he's too malnourished," Devin answered for her. "Most of his internal organs are so deteriorated, they're at failure state. He figures the only thing that kept Jack from having a heart attack or something today was his determination to see Maggie and I escape alive."

"I'm so sorry," was all Dr. Quest could say.

"We were sitting with him earlier," Devin continued. "Jack went delirious. He started to- I don't know- relive Laura's death or something. Connor made Jack watch when he killed her, you know." Maggie couldn't hold back her sobs when he said that, and Devin instantly regretted bringing it up. The looks Devin received from the others were both grim, and horrified. He understood their feelings completely. Jonny rested a reassuring hand on Maggie's shoulder, and Maggie sat up straight, composing herself. Jessie produced a tissue and handed it to her.

"Thank-you," Maggie said with a sniffle. "I'll be all right."

"What about you?" Price asked Devin. "You okay?"

"I don't know," Devin said. "I haven't had time to think about it." Hadji and Jessie pulled up another bench, and both of them, and Price took a seat.

"I'm going to speak with Dr. Stevens," Benton said. "I'll see if there's anything else we can do, other than wait."

"I'll go with you, Doc," Race volunteered. The young people watched them go up to the nurse's station, all remaining silent as none of them could think of anything to say. A few minutes had gone by before Dr. Quest and Race returned.

"Good news, everyone," Benton said. "Jack has been moved out of emergency into intensive care. He's in a private room. Maggie, you and Devin can go in and see him." Simultaneously, all six people sitting on the benches stood. Following Benton and Race, they trooped off toward the intensive care unit. A young, pretty, blond nurse met them with a smile as they approached the nurses station.

"Can you tell me what room Mr. Jack Hardy is in, please?" Maggie asked her. "I'm his daughter."

"Of course," said the nurse. "Dr. Stevens told me about you and your brother. The two of you can see him right away. Everyone else must stay here."

"Can Dr. Quest come, too?" Maggie asked. "He's my uncle. I want him with us." The nurse thought a moment, then nodded. She motioned them to follow behind her, and they went. Inside the hospital room, Jack Hardy was lying motionless on the hospital bed. He was hooked up to all sorts of machines and devices. Maggie almost cried at the sight.

"Who's there?" Jack's faint voice inquired.

"It's me, Maggie," his daughter answered. "Devin is here, too. So is my uncle, Dr. Quest. You know him, he helped us escape. He's mom's half-brother."

"Half-brother?" Jack said quizzically in his weak voice.

"Mom didn't even know he existed until just a few years ago. I found out about him just a few weeks ago, myself. You couldn't possibly have known." Maggie was sitting in a chair at the side of his bed, holding onto her father's thin hand. She was surprised at herself for not noticing before how unhealthy he looked. She guessed it was because she had been so exuberant to find him alive.

"Matthew?" Jack asked next.

"Right here," Devin said stepping up behind Maggie.

"Good," said Jack. He seemed contented that his family was together, and free. Yet, there was still the underlying grief he had for his wife. Dr. Stevens quietly entered the room then, and Benton Quest spoke with him for a while. Dr. Stevens repeated what he had told Maggie and Devin, and it wasn't good. Maggie stayed beside her father until Jack fell asleep. Then she and Devin went to rejoin the others.

"I hate seeing him like that. What did he ever do to deserve this?" Maggie asked. "Why does he have to die like this?" Dr. Quest looked at his niece sadly. Maggie's eyes started to tear up again. Devin looped an arm around her waist and gave her a reassuring squeeze. It didn't help.

"I think you need to rest," Dr. Quest said gently. "This is a lot to deal with right now, and after everything you've been through in the last few weeks. I'd like for you to go back to the hotel for a while."

"I'm not leaving my father," Maggie told him.

"He isn't going anywhere," Dr. Quest countered. "Consider how he'll feel when he sees you exhausted and distraught." She looked at the floor.

"Maggie, go," Devin said. "I'll stay here with him."

"No," Maggie said, clutching at Devin's hand. "I don't want to leave you, either."

"Both of you go to the hotel," Race spoke up. "I'll take you, and the Doc and Jonny can stay here with your dad." He glanced at Dr. Quest. Benton nodded.

"Yeah," Jonny said. "If you think about it, he's my uncle, and Dad's brother-in-law. We're family." Maggie wavered.

"Yeah, we'll go," Devin said. "Okay, Maggie?" Maggie finally agreed.

"Just for a few hours," she said. "Then I'm right back here. I don't want to be away from my Dad any longer than necessary. Devin and I just found him, and we don't have long to be with him."

*JQJQJQJQ*

Jack sat watching those around him. He kept a careful eye on his kids, not wanting to let them out of his sight ever again. He'd spent enough of his life apart from them. His gaze slowly wandered the room. This place was far nicer than the hospital had been, even if it was a well disguised nursing home. He was content to live out the rest of his life there, though, because his children would be allowed to live with him in his apartment-like home.

His health was a step from death, he knew, but he was determined to hang on for as long as he could. It wasn't because he wanted to get to know his children, but because he wanted his children to know him. For the rest of their lives they would live with the knowledge of his twenty-year confinement, and the only memories they would have of him would consist of him as an invalid. He wanted them to have more than that to take with them. He wanted them to know how he was before he had been ripped out of their lives.

Maggie and Matthew's future was all that mattered to him. As he glanced around the room, his gaze wandered from person to person, studying the people that had become important to his children's lives. Jonny Quest was the first his gaze encountered. The boy reminded him of Laura, not by looks, but by personality; it wasn't a surprise that Jonny was her nephew. Benton Quest was more than generous to him and his children, offering assistance in everything from money to emotional support. He almost wished life could have been different, and he could have known his wife's brother under normal circumstances. Hadji reminded Jack of himself; intelligent and the voice of reason. Jack sometimes wondered if the Quests truly understood the wisdom the young Indian had. He shrugged it off, knowing that Hadji's wisdom may be overlooked, but the young man was no where near under appreciated.

Jack had grown to admire Race Bannon and his daughter, Jessica. Those two had more courage and grit than anyone he had ever known, save his own wife. Race, employed by Dr. Quest to protect the scientist's family, had extended his duties to include Maggie, Matthew, and himself. Jack would be forever grateful for everything he had done for them. And Maggie and Jessie seemed to be forming a solid friendship, and Jack knew the value of friends like the Quests and Bannons. His wife had taught him that.

Happiness was not Jack's feeling toward having Connor Hovand's son present, but the young man was Devin's adopted brother, and he had proven himself a far better brother than he had been a son. It wasn't fair to judge a son by his father, and Price clearly cared about Devin. Jack could see he cared about Maggie, too. Maybe more than he liked, but the feeling was more or less mutual. Despite his lingering thoughts, life was still happening around him, and he brought himself back to it, and the conversation happening around him.

"There's a few things that I can't quite figure out," Jonny was saying.

"What is most pressing upon your mind, my friend?" Hadji prompted.

"Who made the mysterious phone call to Maggie at the Quest Compound? How did he know where she was? How did he get the number?"

"That's quite a few questions, Jonny," Dr. Quest said with a laugh.

"The first one's easy," Devin said with a knowing smile. "I was the caller."

"You?" Maggie said surprised. "I thought Dad somehow did that."

"Nope," Devin continued, "I managed to sneak around and go through Connor's things before I was caught. That's how I discovered the explosives, and how I found out about Laura. She told me everything, even where she suspected Maggie was. She had known about her half-brother for a few years, but she didn't want to drag him and his family into this mess. There was a will she mentioned, and we both agreed Maggie would find the Quests if she wasn't already there. I got the number from directory assistance, and I made the phone call. That's when I was caught."

"That answers that," Jessie remarked. "I have a question, too. If Connor Hovand wanted to hurt Laura Hardy so badly, why did he adopt her son?"

"I don't know how it happened, but Mother saw Devin and asked about him," Price spoke up. "Dad told her the kid was going to a foster home. Well, my mother isn't one to turn away someone in need and she was determined to keep him herself. No one, not even my father, can change her mind once she's determined to do something. All of a sudden, I had a kid brother."

"Hovand didn't intend to adopt him, that's for sure," Jack said bitterly. "When Maggie and Matthew were born, I got the hospital and was told the first twin was already in the nursery," Jack said, his eyes going unfocused as he related his memories. "The nurse told me there was some trouble with the second, and Laura was being prepped for a c-section. Before I went to be with my wife, I wanted to see my baby, and the nurse held Maggie up to the window." He grasped Maggie's hand tightly before going on. "I was proud as I could be of her, but I knew Laura needed me, so I hurried down to the delivery room." Jack's expression turned grim. "When I got there, the doctor was lying dead on the floor and the nurse was bundling Matthew into a blanket. Laura had been drugged, and was barely conscious."

"Did Hovand kill the doctor?" Jonny asked, recalling the mystery surrounding Jack Hardy's disappearance and the doctor's murder. Jack shook his head.

"The nurse did it," Jack said. "She was Amelia Trencher." That got a few surprised gasps. "Before I knew what was going on, a man had grabbed me and put a gun to my head. Trencher told me to go with him or they'd kill me right there. I had no choice. I tried to escape, but I couldn't get free in the hospital lobby crowded with people."

"What did they do with Devin?" Maggie asked.

"I was taken to Hovand himself and he sent me to a cell block in the warehouse. He didn't tell me why I was there. I thought he was going to kill me, but instead, he brought Matthew to me. All he told me was to take care of the baby because no one else was going to do it."

"How long did you have me?" Devin asked.

"Until you were three. By then I had figured out we were being held to force Laura into something. He had wanted to take both twins, but Maggie escaped when the obstetrician had her sent to the nursery before Trencher could get her." Jack took a moment to rest and catch his breath before continuing. "One night they came and took Matthew. Hovand told me to say goodbye, that I'd never see my son again. He told me Laura needed some more incentive, and that her defiance to comply had cost her our son." Jack looked at Devin. "You were supposed to die that night," he said. "Abigail Hovand saved your life, and she didn't even know it. For that I will always be in her debt."

"Why was Connor Hovand so interested in Laura Hardy?" Hadji asked. "I am thinking this had to do with the CIA, unless I am mistaken."

"I knew Laura was involved with the CIA since the day we were married," Jack said. "What I didn't know was what she did when she went to work in the morning, and we never discussed it when she came home at night."

"It bet it all has to do with the explosives," Devin said.

"You're right," Race said. Everyone looked at him, wondering what he knew about it. "I know people," he said to their questioning looks. No one asked any further questions. Those that didn't know about his past with Intelligence One were perceptive enough to know further questions were not welcome on the subject. "The CIA were tracking the distribution of explosives and other weapons sold to foreign terrorists. Agent Hardy discovered the connection to Hovand Industries. Hovand had a contact within the CIA, a double agent, and found out about her."

"Why would Laura Hardy go into Hovand Industries as a secretary if she knew they knew about her?" Jonny asked.

"She didn't know who was tormenting her or her family," Race said. "She took the assignment at Hovand Industries, despite the danger to herself, hoping to locate her husband and son. The documents Maggie found hidden in their house was the evidence that would convict Hovand. She didn't turn it in because she knew if she did, her husband and her son would both be dead before Hovand could be taken into custody. She knew she had to find them and get them out before she nailed Hovand."

Maggie leaned over the back of her father's seat, and put her arms around him comfortingly. Jack put a hand over one of hers. They both missed her very much, but they appreciated everything Laura had gone through on their behalf. Even Devin was grateful. The mother he had only barely met had cared that much for him when he had called another woman 'mother' his entire life.

"There's one thing that bothers me," Jessie said thoughtfully. "What did that environmental conference Hovand walked out of have to do with any of this?"

"Hovand is dead, now, and a lot of trouble went with him to his grave," Race said. "It's best that way, and I say we just forget him from now on."

"I don't know, Race," said Jonny. "They never confirmed it was his body they found in the warehouse's burnt ruins."

"Come on, Jonny," Jessie said with a roll of her eyes. "It had to be him. He was the only person unaccounted for. And he never came out."

"Still," Jonny said, "It's not impossible."

*JQJQJQJQ*

August 1999

Location: Quest Compound, Maine

Maggie was standing on the lawn beside her uncle and cousin. There was a small gathering of people there, all dressed in black, mourning the death of Jack Hardy. Maggie wasn't feeling very sad, though. She had known he wouldn't live long, and was glad he had managed to hang onto life until the end of the summer. She had gotten to spend his last days with him, and with Devin, and she would remember it with happiness the rest of her life.

"So what do you plan to do now your father is gone?" Benton asked her. "You know you always have a home here with us."

"Thank you for the offer, but I think I'll go back to school. Mrs. Hovand lives in Connecticut, now that she's sold her husband's company. Price is going into the Air Force. He has a degree in engineering, and I guess the Air Force has plans for him. Abigail will be lonely without him, so Devin has decided to move near Abigail. After all, she's been his mother for seventeen years. I want to be near my brother, so I think I'll go to school in Connecticut."

"I see you've put a lot of thought into this," Dr. Quest said. "I hope your plans bring you happiness for a change." Maggie smiled.

"I think it's for the best," Maggie said.

"You be sure and let me know if there's anything you need," Dr. Quest said. "I'm the executor of the trust your mother left you, and as it turns out, your father had some money stuck away for Matthew, too, and he's put those funds in my care, as well."

"We're fine, Dr. Quest," Maggie said, "But thank-you."

"Maggie," Dr. Quest said, "I'm your uncle, and you may call me Uncle Benton if you wish." Maggie smiled.

"I'll miss you, Uncle Benton, and Jonny, too." She hugged them both at once.

"Connecticut isn't that far," Jonny said. "You're going to visit on holidays and breaks, aren't you?"

"If that's an invitation, you can expect me for sure," Maggie said. "We're family, and I know exactly how important family is." Dr. Quest and Jonny hugged her again, and then the three parted to do various other things. Maggie joined Jessie who had been waiting patiently for her, somewhat away from Dr. Quest, Jonny, and herself.

"How do you really feel about everything?" Jessie asked as the two girls walked along the path leading down to the beach.

"Honestly?" Maggie asked.

"Yeah, truthfully," Jessie prompted.

"I don't know how things will turn out, but I'm going to do my best to make Devin and I a family. And I intend to make Uncle Benton and Jonny a part of it, too."

*JQJQJQJQ*


End file.
